MAKING YOUR LIFE

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FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002

connexionfrance.com December 2023/January 2024 Issue 254 €6.25

American author is to publish in ‘Equity release’

revamp aims
P3
Photo: Susan Kaiser Greenland

France due to US ‘climate of fear’ to boost sector

P39

Comment, page 15

Property price drop set to continue but rural areas are less affected
AN AVERAGE 3% year-on-year drop
in French property prices has been con-
firmed in new notaire figures, with
sellers advised to accept a negotiation
downwards if they need to move.
The fall is expected to continue for at
least another six months.
Large cities, especially Paris, are most
affected and rural areas the least.
Prices are dropping the fastest in
areas where they had increased most
in recent years, and more slowly in
areas where they stayed more moder-
ate, said the president of the large estate
agents’ federation Fnaim, Loïc Cantin.
The fall is mainly due to the rise in
mortgage rates from less than 2% in
2022 to over 4%. Rates are affected by
the Central European Bank, which has
sought to reduce inflation by raising
‘key interest rates’ to 4%. “It’s hap-
pened progressively,” said Mr Cantin.
“A year ago rates were rising but there
had not been a price impact.
“Now, we see a very noticeable lower-
ing month-on-month. It takes time for
sellers to adapt to market realities.
“Over the next six months, no doubt,
this tendency will continue, since sale
prices are still not proportional to peo-
ple’s purchasing power.”
Annual sales of non new-build
homes are likely to be below 900,000, a
drop of 300,000 year-on-year.
But where people are able to buy,
they are negotiating. “They don’t hesi-
tate to offer 10 or 15% off.” Sellers who
need to sell, must listen, he said.
The latest report by the French
notaires states that average non new-
build prices saw a slight year-on-year
drop by August, which reached 3% in
November, slightly more in houses
than for flats. In Paris the figure as of
November was 6.1%.
Many cities showed the steepest drops
but the picture is not uniform. Flat
prices barely changed in Lille, Marseille
and Rouen but dropped 8% at least in
è Turn to Page 2

MPs to decide Do not be afraid to dream big... Inside

First rule
on ‘win-win’ of French
cooking?
visa plan for Rip up the
recipe book
second homes
The Back Page
Married,
‘Restricting visiting time has economic impact’
Pacs or
by Liv Rowland on our regions. The adoption of the amend-
cohabiting:
BRITONS with second homes in France are
ment shows the importance that the Senate
attaches to the Franco-British relationship. I your rights
after death
being urged to write to the French MP for hope that MPs will be sensitive to this issue
the area where their property is if they sup- and keep this provision in the text.”
port the ‘automatic visa right’ plan that was Ms Berthet was referring to the complica-

approved by the French Senate in November.
They should explain how much they value
their time in France.
The idea has been added to an immigration
bill which MPs will debate from December
11. It needs their approval to be brought in.
Senators voted to allow British sec-
ond-home owners to bypass the Schengen
area 90 /180 days rule and return in effect to
the pre-Brexit situation of not needing a visa
to stay in France for up to six months.
France can set immigration rules for its
of partner
tions many Britons face in obtaining visas to
spend extended periods at their French homes,
most of which were bought pre-Brexit when
the 90/180 days rule did not apply. The visa Page 32
process must also be repeated for each visit.
The change would give an automatic right
to stay for longer than three months due to
SIMON HEFFER
being British and owning a second home in
the country. Le Pen
goes where
No application would be needed and it
could work, for example, by showing a doc-
ument proving home ownership at the bor-

her father
own territory so is able to do this. der, an assistant to Ms Berthet said.
The plan is said to be a ‘win-win’ for Full details would remain to be worked out

Interview Claudie Haigneré

Photo: CNES/ESA/PEDOUSSAUT Manuel, 2001

France as Britons integrate well and many in an additional decree.

areas benefit economically from the time
they spend in France. It would also free up
time for overworked visa processing staff.
Senator Mar­ tine Berthet (Savoie, Les
Répu­blicains), who wrote the amendment,
Not all agree with the plan though. In the
Senate, a minister said it was not needed as could not...
First French woman
visas exist. A socialist senator also opposed it
saying Britons “often make house prices rise”. Page 14
However, an MP for President Ma­ cron’s

to go into space
said: “I am delighted. I was able to make my majority Renaissance party has since told L 14574 - 254 H - F: 6,25 € - RD
colleagues aware of the difficulties that these campaigners they will look closely at the pro- French
British people have encountered since Brexit posal and their position is not yet finalised. Living
and the economic impact that this has had è Turn to Page 6
2 News connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023
HIGHLIGHTS
News
US author publishes only in France to avoid ‘climate of fear’ 3
1-11 Clubs ‘faking’ women’s cricket matches
FRANCE Cricket (FC) – the involved in the investigation. team if they up to Division 1 the following

Photo: shutterstock_poltu shyamal

Groups launch legal fight to demand hunting restrictions 4
Audrey Tautou lured back to acting by Jewish artist’s story 5 association that promotes the She said she had visited wanted a men’s year and why none of the play-
How Britons abroad can now register to vote again 6 sport in the country – is facing grounds where matches were team to play in ers from those teams or their
allegations of turning a blind supposedly taking place. the top leagues. under 16s players ever join any
Fines pile up on motorway with no toll barriers 7
eye to ‘fake’ women’s matches. “I saw people having picnics Clubs can be of the top division clubs.”
Farmers juggle ‘food sovereignty’ with eco transition 8 It is allegedly obtained subsi- and kids cycling around at the fined if they The French national team
MPs call for end to fines for private forest walks 9 dies from cricket’s international time of the game, but there fail to fulfil fix- reached the European World
Fuel allowance, GP fees... What’s new in France? 10 governing body, the ICC, by were no matches. Then the next tures and there Cup Qualifiers in Spain in
Pantomime finds new French fans 11 A cricketer
reporting phantom matches. day the results were appearing were €20,000 plays a stroke September, but lost its matches.
Comment 12-17 An investigation by French
state-owned TV channel France
online,” she said.
Asked where the ICC money
in fines in the
first year of the rule but the next
Ms Lieury blamed a lack of
players coming through the sys-
TV angel Mimie turns disability into driving force 12
Lozère prepares Mongolian horses for life back in the wild 13 24 claimed to find results in the was going, she said: “I’ve no season that dropped to €5,000. tem. She said there are also
Simon Heffer/Nabila Ramdani 14 women’s second division that idea. When I asked to see the A coach with men’s fourth funding difficulties. Her own
Women bringing equality to France’s ‘noble’ building trade 15 were fabricated and had been accounts I was pressured not to division team Vipères de Valenc- team, Les Duchesses in Nantes,
Readers’ letters 16-17 rubber stamped by FC. ‘be nosy’. iennes, James Worstead, told gets nothing from FC, she said.
ICC funding is linked to the Ms Rodriguez, who plays for France 24 it can be difficult to FC chairman Prebagarane
Practical 18-21 development of women’s and Lisses CC in the Ile-de-France, assemble a female team so many Balane told a cricket website the
Your questions 18 junior cricket. It gave FC said: “The vision being por- clubs “pretend” to have one. allegations are “baseless”, but FC
Make sense of radars and speeding fines 19 €320,000 out of a total €520,000 trayed to the outside world is Former international player would not comment to us until
Vous? Tu? Correct form of address still causes angst 20 budget for 2022. fake, to gain FC more money Sabine Lieury, President of it has prepared a legal response
Risky cold medicines remain on sale 21 Former France international and clubs like ours [first divi- Nantes Cricket Club, told The to France 24.

24
player Tracy Rodriguez, who sion] don’t see any of it.” Connexion: “I’ve often won- The ICC told Sky Sports it was
Photo: Alain Rico

was elected to FC’s board in In 2021, FC ruled that clubs dered why the team that won investigating. We have asked for
PAGES 2021 but left this year, was had to have a junior and female the Divison 2 title never made it confirmation of this.
French living
France’s iconic eateries: from train
station gems to bustling brasseries
‘I tell women to be bold,’ says first French woman in space
Property price drop ‘could hit 6%’
13 desserts, a festive Provencal feast Î Continued from page 1
Antiques hunt gives interiors inspiration Besançon, Nantes, Angers and Rouen. Sales Year-on-year changes
Museum lets you glimpse the future of history in Lyon
volumes in non new-build houses dropped
at least 8% in Amiens, Orléans, Nîmes, Saint-
in France in November
Etienne, Valence, Lyon and Toulon and 3-6% (non new-build homes)
DIRECTORY 22-27 in Le Havre, Rennes, La Rochelle, Toulouse, n Property prices overall: -3%
Medical cannabis experiment extended for pain relief 28 Le Mans, Grenoble and Lille. n House prices overall: -3.2%
Price comparison site Meilleurs Agents
Many ways France Services can help 29 n Flat prices overall: -2.7%
states in its November ‘barometer’ that,
Versailles at 400: from hunting lodge to opulence 30 month-on-month, cities saw drops apart n Property prices overall in France out
from Lille, Montpellier and Toulouse. side Ile-de-France: -1.9%
Charity shop aims to raise €100,000 in year for animals 31
Nantes saw the biggest fall (-0.8%), fol- n Flat prices outside Ile-de-France: -0.3%
Money / Work/ Property 32-39 lowed by Marseille and Lyon (-0.5%). n House prices outside Ile-de-France: -2.7%
However rural areas had a 0% change n Flat prices: 0%: Marseille, Lille, Toulon
The Back Page 40
Photo: Ilgonisf_shutterstock

month-on-month and show a 2.2% rise on n Flat prices -8%+: Besançon, Mulhouse,
First rule of French cooking? Rip up the recipe book November 2022. Amiens was among Nantes, Angers, Rouen
Mr Cantin said: “Marseille has not seen cities experiencing n Volume of house sales: -8%+:
Contact Us steep rises, whereas Nantes has increased a
lot so the correction is more severe.
highest price drops
for houses
Saint-Etienne, Amiens, Orléans, Nîmes,
Valence, Lyon, Toulon
Subscribe / resubscribe at: “In Nice, prices are more stable. Over half
connexionfrance.com the population is 65+; they already own It is possible, however, that by the end of nostic study ratings. Some people are selling
property and have capital and have less need the year the average annual price drop in homes as they do not want to have to reno-
Subscription queries: of loans or to negotiate.” non new-build will up to 6%, he said, add- vate under new environmental rules, he said.
Nathalie: +33 (0)6 40 55 71 63* The government and ECB say there will be ing: “But remember that if you sell for less, it One factor keeping prices dropping too
*Rate set by your operator no more interest rate hikes for now. However, also means you can buy for less.” much is a lack of new-build due to the high
Adverts: sales@connexionfrance.com fluctuations linked to world events are Mr Allouche said there are three factors price of raw materials and fewer buy-to-let
Editorial: news@connexionfrance.com always possible, and if inflation rises, the affecting price drops, firstly the type of prop- tax breaks.
rates could rise again to compensate. erty; for example studio flats are selling bet- Some sellers refusing to lower their prices
Write to: The Connexion, The CEO of the ERA Immobilier network ter than big houses and so are dropping less. or taking their property off the market is
Le Grande Bretagne, 30 Av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco in France, Eric Allouche, said the drops are Location is the next factor. “If you’re in a another, he said.
@ConnexionFrance moderate compared to the slump in sales but sought-after coastal resort the prices will “Historically, buying property is always a
the latter is not a “catastrophe”. “We only drop much less.” safe investment in the long-term,” he added.
The Connexion went over one million sales in 2019,” he said. The third factor is the condition and diag- “Just don’t buy and resell straight away.”

Rise in tax office checks on wealth Act soon if you

Contributors: Liv Rowland, Ken Seaton, Simon Heffer, Nick Inman, Samantha David,
Brian McCulloch, Justin Postlethwaite, Nabila Ramdani, Théophile Larcher, Nick Jenkins,
Jared Paolino, Victoria Gibson, Annaliza Davis Sub-editing: Sarah Henshaw
Design: Lynne Spaight Proof reading: Richard Henshell Editorial consultant: Bruno Lacombe
THE NUMBER of people facing tax office checks years. While prices are now tending to drop (see
received local
Directrice de la Publication (Managing Editor): Sarah Smith
Rédacteur-en-Chef (Editor-in-Chief): Sarah Smith
over the value of their properties is reported to be
have been on the rise since summer.
page 1 and above), if you pay IFI and have been
declaring the same value for several years it would
tax bill in error
The Connexion is published by English Language Media Sarl Tax lawyers consulted by business news maga- be wise to check your property’s value for the next IF YOU received a taxe d’habita-
Registered office: Le Grande Bretagne, 30 av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco zine Capital said there had been a notable increase, declaration, based on its value on January 1, 2024. tion bill in error this autumn you
Environmental policy: possibly coinciding with the obligation for every- The same applies if you have not paid before but should alert your tax office as
The Connexion is printed on recycled newspaper. one to make an online Biens immobiliers declara- may have risen into taxable levels of property soon as possible to avoid having
Subscribers to The Connexion receive their copy wrapped in tion of property ownership by August 10. wealth. These are €1.3million after a deduction of to pay it and claim the money
biodegradable eco-friendly film. This is fully compostable at home. It could also simply have been due to tax offices 30% on the value of your main home. back.
Subscription prices: going through this year’s declarations for the Patrim, a tool that can be used to make a value In most cases the deadline for
Annual: French address: €69, Les contenus Si vous souhaitez
copier et diffuser impôt sur la fortune immobilière (IFI) to calculate estimate is accessible via your personal space on the tax, which as of this year is
address outside France: €85.50, DE THE CONNEXION des articles de The Connexion
dans le cadre de votre
bills that went out to be payable by September 15. the French tax site or you can use the notaires’ only payable on second homes,
100% Digital: €54 sont protégés activité professionnelle

Three-month: French address: €19.65, par le Vous devez en demander

Either way, the figures for recent years show a property website which has a map of recent aver- is December 15.
address outside France: €23.80, droit l’autorisation au CFC trend towards more checks related to property age prices in a given area (tinyurl.com/nota-map). Tax officials admit that thou-
100% Digital: €15 d’auteur www.cfcopies.com
ownership, including IFI and stamp duty on prop- In the case of checks, officials will make a com- sands of bills were sent out to
Digital subscriptions only available if you
subscribe at connexionfrance.com
Contact / dea@cfcopies.com
erty sales, from 67,308 in 2018 to 78,602 in 2022. parison with similar properties sold in your area people who should not have to
Encart abonnement sur une diffusion partielle / Encart calendrier sur une diffusion partielle A leading tax workers’ unionist, Solidaires recently. Checks can take place up to the end of pay. This was said to be due to
Printed by Rotimpres, Finances Publiques, told Capital there had been “a the third year after the one when the tax was due, them having moved home
Impressions Rotatives, 17181 Aiguaviva (Girona), Espagne will, as we came out of Covid-19, to cover all of the eg. 2026 for 2023’s tax. recently and therefore having
All copyright is reserved to the publisher. Reproduction in whole or part of any potential areas of tax checks”. If you are fined and/or asked to pay extra tax, two addresses registered on file.
text without permission is strictly prohibited. The Connexion cannot accept
responsibility for claims of advertisers or their professionalism. Le Figaro also reported last year on more tax you can appeal, for example explaining the basis You can contact the tax office
Mensuel Depôt légal – a parution. offices looking into whether people have account- of your evaluation, including any features that by private message via your
RCI 10 S 05218 ISSN: 1742 - 6421 CPPAP: 0126 I 85379 ed for the property price hikes market in recent might reduce its value compared to the average. account on impots.gouv.fr.
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com News 3
Calendar
gift for our
American author publishes ‘black’ novel
subscribers
FRENCH NEWS
THIS CALENDA
R IS A GIFT
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in France, citing a ‘climate of fear’ in US
are right to seek out ‘authentic’
ON SUBSCRI

A WHITE American author migrant’s harrowing journey to

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THIS month, all our print Seth Greenland, 68, claims Some said her identity was ers, reported that only around

Photos: Seth Greenland

subscribers will receive a that such politics mean white
complimentary A4 desk writers are being “strongly dis-
calendar showing British and couraged from writing charac-
French bank holidays and ters who are not white”.
other important dates in He told The Connexion: “I’m an
both countries. American writer, I tell American
We came up with the idea a stories, and not all Americans
few years ago after search- are white. To be hamstrung by
ing fruitlessly for something the notion that I’m supposed to
similar for our own office. We stay in the ‘white’ lane, to me,
hope it proves useful. frankly, it’s ridiculous.”
Best wishes for the season, He joins writers such as Joyce
The Connexion team Maynard and Bret Easton Ellis,
who have voiced similar con-
Calls for ski cerns to French newspapers.
In France, debates over topics
Seth Greenland said storytelling should ‘create empathy’
publisher Liana Levi, that
prompted Mr Greenland to
self-censor in the US and
launch the book in France.
He hopes to publish Plan
américain in the US after prov-
ing its viability overseas.
The book has not been reject-
ed by any US publisher to date.
not the problem but the misrep-
resentation of it by her publish-
er, who overstated her personal
and ethnic links to the Mexican
and migrant experience.
Others said American Dirt
inaccurately portrayed the
access to books, the other is to migrant experience, was taste-
limit what gets taught in lessly marketed or was promot-
America’s public universities.” ed at the expense of Latinx
In the 20th century, many authors who had written about
black American artists and intel- the subject with greater nuance.
lectuals, such as entertainer The backlash has left some US
Josephine Baker and writer publishers wary of stories about
James Baldwin, were embraced
in France for their creative
marginalised groups that have
been written by authors who
24% of its contributors identi-
fied as black, indigenous or
people of colour in 2022.
Despite the concerns of
authors such as Mr Greenland,
books by white writers dealing
with racial themes or including
characters from marginalised
groups are still finding outlets.
“There are many books pub-
lished in the US that have enor-
mous backlash and are eagerly
received by publishers because
they will sell,” Mr Paulson said.
This Other Eden, by Paul
Harding, exploring the conse-

train routes to such as ‘sensitivity readers’ –

people hired by a publisher to
Ken Paulson, director of the
Free Speech Center at Middle
talents in a way that seemed
impossible in the US at the time.
are not part of them.
However, Mr Greenland
quences of eugenics in an inter-
racial fishing community, was

be expanded
flag content that could be con-
sidered offensive, inaccurate or
stereotypical – and cultural
EUROPEAN rail operators are appropriation have not permeat-
being urged to help expand ed public discourse to the same
door-to-door train services to extent as in the US.
French ski resorts from London, It was this, as well as his exist-
Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. ing relationship with French
The appeal for tenders comes
Tennessee State University, said
there was no evidence suggest-
ing widespread self-censorship
was happening in the US.
“The real threats to free
speech in America largely come
from the legislative side,” Mr
Paulson said. “One is to limit
For Mr Greenland and others warns this attitude is danger- shortlisted for the 2023 Booker
who see self-censorship as a ous. “What art is about, what Prize, due to be announced on
growing problem, the perceived novel writing is about, is the November 26.
need for white authors to seek exploration of consciousness In a review for The New York
creative refuge abroad might other than our own, in order to Times, queer black writer Danez
also be traced to the controver- foster a deeper connection, to Smith praised Harding’s novel,
sy surrounding American Dirt, create empathy,” he said. describing it as “so real it could
a 2020 novel about a Mexican Others argue that publishers make you weep”.

Firms fight for cash Reviving nation’s toymaking

from resort operator Comp-
a­gnie des Alpes, which wants
more rail links to open to the
Alps for winter 2024-25.
The firm owns 10 ski areas,
including Les Arcs, Tignes and
Méribel, and has been offering
door-to-door ski holidays from
for your flight delays skills, one mascot at a time
London and Paris for two years, A NEW French company has 40% if legal action is required.

Photos: Doudou et Compagnie / Inset: Cesar Mendez_shutterstock

including train transport to joined a crowded field targeting
Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Savoie. travellers whose flights have
It said it carried 12,000 cus- been delayed, overbooked or
tomers last year, despite not cancelled, aiming to secure
being able to run the Paris route compensation for them.
due to a lack of trains, and facing Since 2004, European regula-
reduced seat numbers and dates tion CE 261 grants air passen-
on the London route. gers departing from or arriving
The firm wants European rail in an EU country specific
operators to offer trains for up to rights, and repays a fixed
two weekly journeys between amount if their flight is can-
mid-December and mid-April. celled, delayed for more than
It is in partnership talks with three hours, or overbooked.
other tourism operators looking You can claim this yourself by
to take advantage of these poten- contacting your airline’s cus-
tial routes. tomer service by registered post
As well as encouraging people or via its website, with support-
to visit French ski resorts, rather ing documents such as your
than go to Switzerland, Austria ticket, boarding card (if applic-
and Italy, Compagnie des Alpes able) and expense receipts.
said the additional train routes However, Nantes-based
would reduce the industry’s car- Delayed claims to make the
bon footprint. whole process faster and easier.
It said fewer than 0.5% of the Travellers input details, such
nine million French people visit- as departure and destination
ing the Alps annually travelled airports, flight numbers and the
by train and 80% of the more reason their flight was disrupt-
than one million British skiers ed or cancelled, at delayed.co.
travelled by plane. The platform then determines
n Some ski resorts have opened if they are eligible for compens-
slopes earlier this year thanks to ation. If they are not – for
unusually good snow cond- example, if a natural disaster or
itions, with the cross-country a security risk was to blame –
skiing tracks at Bessans, Savoie, the online service is free.
being the first, on November 4, If a customer is eligible and
followed by Tignes and Val decides to make a claim, the
Thorens on November 18. Delayed team acts on their
The rest of the country’s ski behalf to secure compensation.
stations are set to open this The firm takes up to 25% of
month: tinyurl.com/ybeknkf9. successful payouts, rising to
Delayed will have to compete
with similar firms, including
Germany’s AirHelp and UK
site Flightright. It is among 10
firms compared here: tinyurl.
com/5n7628w8.
The French start-up says only
20% of passengers know they
are entitled to compensation.
Delayed co-founder Jérémie
Peiro said: “The number of
post-Covid passengers explod-
ed and airlines were not organ-
ised to deal with it. Fortunately,
the law is retroactive and air
passengers can claim compens-
ation up to three years after
their disruption.”
Delayed might also expand to
cover other means of travel,
including rail, ferry and bus.
Half of flights in Europe were
delayed last summer and nearly
2,000 were cancelled every day
in 2022, according to the air
traffic management body
Eurocontrol. Two-thirds of
flights left on time – a decrease
on the 2019 average of 73%.
The right to compensation
depends on three criteria: the
flight’s country of departure
and arrival, and the nationality
of the airline. Passengers can
reclaim up to €600.
If you would rather claim on
your own, you can find more
details of what to do at tinyurl.
com/t99m6jdx and at tinyurl.
com/flight-comp.
Some of the 2024 Olympic Games mascots, inset, are
being made in Brittany, a former hub of soft toymaking
THE COMPANY making the a former garden centre, which Joly aims to change this.
mascots for the 2024 Olympic opened last year. “I hope soft toy production will
and Paralympic Games is hop- CEO Alain Joly, who founded increase in France, that’s the
ing to relaunch the French toy- the firm in 1999, said: “The objective,” he said.
making industry by bringing in Olympic contracts are a great The Olympic deal brought
a new generation of talent. honour, a great source of pride. challenges, including the need
Doudou et Compagnie, from “We’re also using this to show- to design new machines and
Val d’Oise, north-west of Paris, case our expertise. train a new generation for
won the tender to design and “We want people to under- the labour-intensive industry,
make the games’ mascots, based stand what’s behind the design which Mr Joly said had lost 30
on the Phrygian cap, a French of a plush toy, the many stages years of savoir-faire.
symbol dating from the that require lots of know-how.” It takes eight people to per-
Revolution, in November 2021. Mr Joly previously ran a firm form the steps to make each toy
It followed controversy over in the 1970s and 1980s with and they cost €9 more than the
the mascots being largely made three factories in Brittany, an Chinese-made ones, but they
in China. area once known for soft toy are bigger, have thicker ‘fur’ and
Some commentators also production. He was forced to retain the ‘memory’ of their
found the mascots’ appearance shut by Asian competition. shape better, the firm says.
bizarre, likening them to the He then launched Doudou et Some of the French-made
anatomical shape of a clitoris. Compagnie, with its own manu- mascots are now being export-
While 75% of the toys are facturing based in Asia. Doudou ed to China and the US. Since
being made by the firm’s teams is French for a child’s favourite November 2022, 70,000 have
in Asia, the rest are being made soft toy. The lion’s share of pro- been sold. Production is set to
at a 3,500m2 Brit­tany factory in duction remains overseas but Mr rise to 1,000/day in early 2024.
 4 News connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

Senate votes overwhelmingly for ban on inclusive writing

ALMOST three-quarters of
senators have voted in favour of
a bill to ban gender-inclusive
For: ‘Language has to move’
writing from all areas where
French is legally required “in
order to protect the language”.
The legislation, if passed, would
prevent a generic masculine
being replaced by masculine and
feminine forms. Examples in use
include ami.e.s (friends) and
artisan·e·s (craftspeople).
The ban would cover educa-
tion as well as adverts, instruct-
ion leaflets, job offers and all
official documents.
It would automatically nullify
legal documents that contain it
unless they also carry a trans-
lation into traditional French.
The bill must be approved by
MPs, who are divided on the
topic, to become law.
Senators say the language is a
barrier for people with learning
difficulties. The Ministry for
Culture issued a ‘recommend-
ation of wisdom’ about the bill.
Other countries with gendered
language have also pushed back
against this.
THE BILL is proof that there is still a
lot of work to be done to clarify the
purpose of inclusive writing, said ling-
uist Jana Rameh, a consultant at Mots-
Clés, an agency that helps firms adopt
inclusive writing.
“What it seeks to do is to build a lang-
uage that is more egalitarian, that is
more inclusive for everyone,” she said.
“It’s a way of moving towards greater
equality between women and men.”
It has led to a rise in women applying
for certain jobs, as well as an important
shift in work culture, she said.
“You can’t use inclusive writing and
have a gender pay gap or be sexist at a
company,” she said.
For Ms Rameh, changing language to
reflect a shifting society is fundament-
al. “Any living language, by definition,
has to move,” she said. “Language
evolves from the desire of its speakers
to express certain needs that cannot be
expressed using existing means.
“French is perceived as more fixed
because there’s a certain institution
responsible for regulating the evolution
of the language.
She added: “Inclusive writing is a
lever for working on gender equality.
“It’s not at all a question of undermin-
ing existing grammar. It’s about making
a personal effort to use the means that
are already present in our language.”
Ms Rameh dismisses claims by supp-
orters of the ban that inclusive writing
hinders reading and comprehension.
“The Catalan alphabet uses the mid-
point [full stop] between two l’s, to say
that it means something different. For
people who speak Catalan, even those
with dyslexia, it’s not a problem.
“The idea would be to teach this from
an early age and help schoolchildren
understand that, for example, the mid-
point is just an abbreviation.
“In French, it’s hard to separate the
grammatical gender from the neuter
for human nouns. Inclusive writing
allows a certain
linguistic invent-
iveness.
“By using the
median point, or
employing words
such as ‘iel’,
Against: ‘No cosmetic changes’
CHANGING the French language runs battle lies.” When asked how it could help
the risk of distancing future generations members of the LGBQT community feel
from the country’s formidable literary more visible, Ms Audugé replied: “It is
past, warned Sophie Audugé, spokes- what you might call an identitarian
woman for SOS Education, a non-profit essentialism. It’s strategic and political.
aiming to improve the education system. “The majority of people in these com-
“There’s a clear danger in cutting our munities have no desire to be singled out
younger generations off from history and for this part of their identity.
making them believe that there’s a need “Let’s be clear, there’s nothing more
in France to feminise the language to communitarian than telling someone
improve equality between men and ‘we’re going to make you visible’.”
women,” she said. “It’s not true. Alongside the weight of intellectual
“I think our younger generations need history, she also cited a major report from
to learn from women’s struggles, whether SOS Education about the complications
it’s Colette or Simone Veil, to understand that inclusive writing, such as using the
how a woman today takes her place in median point, could pose to blind and
society: through education, through partially sighted people, as well as those
intellectual demands, through the battle with autism, dyslexia or dyspraxia.
of ideas with men, and through her ability None of which means French cannot
to develop a way of thinking. evolve with a changing society, she said.
“It’s certainly not by lowering the level “We can be resolutely modern, while
of education, by preserving the French language identity.
making cosmetic “The Académie française dictionary is a
changes to lang- benchmark because, obviously, a national
uage, that we will language takes a long time to develop.
improve the status That is something that we have to recog-
of women. nise and respect.
“On the contrary, “But there are institutions that don’t

Photo: Scheenagh Harrington

Berlin mayor Kai Wegner said
he will not use it and the world’s
oldest linguistic academy, Italy’s
Accademia della Crusca, said the
masculine plural was the “best
way to represent all genders”.
We spoke to two experts on
both sides of this debate.
“Historically, there have been a lot of non-binary peo- today more young have to let themselves be carried away by
debates about gender and inclusivity, ple are better girls from the least fashions, and which must preserve what
and in fact before the 17th century reflected in the privileged back- is most profound in a nation’s identity,
each profession had its respective fem- French language, grounds don’t have which is its language.”
inine form. It was with the establish- far more than access to education The ninth edition the Académie
ment of the Académie française that when only the to escape from the française dictionary, first published in
we moved towards a language that generic mascu- The median point in writing allows both situation. 1694, is now up to spermatophytes and can
was masculine.” line is used.” masculine and feminine forms to be read “That’s where the be seen online at tinyurl.com/yxava5n8.

Groups launch legal fight to The serious job of

hospital clowning
demand hunting restrictions

Photo: Jordan Colin

TWO organisations are demand-
ing the government take respons-
ibility and regulate hunting to
Chasseurs and cyclists agree to share land
reduce the danger to the public, HUNTERS and cyclists have based on a series of meetings POORLY children in the
Photo: Un jour un chasseur/Mila Sanchez

in the first stage of what could be reached a land-sharing deal and discussions between south of France are being
a lengthy legal process. after 15 years of debate, with members of Les Vieux cochons made to feel a little better,
In a letter to ministers whose the aim of enabling both seillonnais bike club, which thanks to 40 volunteer clowns.
portfolios include hunting, the organisations to carry out their was founded by hunters and RIRE Clowns (tinyurl.
groups are calling for regulatory weekend hobbies safely. many of whose members com/42a4bu48) is celebrating
measures, including a ban on From this year, hunters based continue to take part. 30 years of bringing smiles to Volunteers Pâquerette and
hunting at weekends and a reduct- Morgan Keane was in the commune of Seillons Mountain biker Éric Michel the faces of patients, families Lililou entertain a patient
ion in hunting zone sizes. fatally shot by a hunter Source d’Argens, in the Var in said the two groups enjoyed a and staff at hospitals in including paediatrics. It’s
If the government does not act, the south of France, have good working relationship, Montpellier and Sète in the really very intimate work.”
the case could go before the Paris around roads and houses to pro- agreed to use only one of two thanks to social media easing Hérault department. She also helps train each
administrative court and, event- tect inhabitants and people who zones every weekend, leaving the lines of communication The non-profit association new crop of volunteers.
ually, to the Conseil d’État, the use the countryside,” she said. the other free for bikers, run- between the two groups. is one of just a few in France The association pays for the
highest administrative court. Ms Sanchez said the groups’ ners and walkers. The hunters even issued a to combine so many volun- training, which includes 12
Marion Fargier, who works in demands were complicated by The two sectors cover an area Facebook invitation for locals teers and professional clowns. workshops and ‘buddying up’
the legal department of the wild- the hunting lobby, who she said of around 1,000 hectares and to share a meal after a hunt, Nadine Pons, 66, also with a professional clown.
life protection organisation “immediately raise their voice”. are separated by a road. and more get-togethers are known as Clown Roudoudou, Volunteers are also offered
Association pour la Protection “We’re talking about a leisure Hunt leader Sébastien Sorja planned for the future. started out as a volunteer with monthly clown labs, as well as
des Animaux Sauvages, one of activity that monopolises the posts details of the hunting Christian Burgio, president the association in 1998. listening workshops with a
the groups involved, told The entire public space. We’re dealing areas on a shared WhatsApp of the bike club, said the Now, she is one of the four professional psychologist.
Connexion: “We want real, bind- with a problem of democracy.” group every week. cyclists were planning to intro- professionals who work spec- When it comes to potential
ing national rules, laid down by Both groups hope for a positive It allows the local cycling duce the hunters to their sport ifically with child cancer clown candidates, Ms Pons
the state and properly enforced. response from the letter, but are club’s 180 members, including the next time around. patients and their families. said they look for people who
“The state is responsible for the braced for a longer fight. around 100 children, to enjoy Mr Sorja said the meetings The experience for both are stable and committed.
safety of the population. It is the “We are still preparing for their sport, minimising the were “the icing on the cake of groups is very different. “For me, a clown is com-
state that must take regulatory litigation,” said Ms Fargier. risks of disrupting the hunt or this very good understanding”. “A volunteer goes to meet pletely authentic, someone
steps to ensure everyone’s safety, There are five million licensed shooting accidents. He said the hunters tried to children in hospital in depart- who can empathise with child-
not leisure enthusiasts.” hunters in France, with just over The usual Wednesday hunt communicate and share as ments where they don’t actu- ren and families,” she said.
The second group, Un jour un one million active participants, has also been switched to much as possible, so they ally see the children again,” The rewards for the volun-
chasseur (One day one hunter), according to the National Thursdays, giving non-hunters could demonstrate they had a Ms Pons said. teers’ hard work and dedica-
was co-founded by Mila Sanchez, Hunters’ Federation. more time to enjoy outdoor different vision and approach. “They have a one-off miss- tion speak for themselves.
28, after her friend Morgan A spokeswoman for the federa- activities when many children “Everything’s going really ion. As for us professional “There are some unexpect-
Keane, pictured, was fatally shot tion said its objective, “and that might not be at school. well,” he said. clowns, we specialise in ed moments and very beauti-
in his garden by a hunter in 2020. of all hunters, has always been to The agreement has taken 15 “A dialogue has been estab- oncology, so we work in day ful encounters, but there’s a
“We want them to put in place aim for zero accidents”. years to come to fruition, lished between us.” hospital, in-patient, protected lot of laughter too,” she said.
significant safety distances Hunting safety app launches: Page 21 care and intensive care units, “We are clowns after all.”
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com News 5

Audrey Tautou lured back to acting by Jewish artist’s story

by Liv Rowland Charlotte’s spoken to her

Photo: abacapress.com / AlamyStockPhoto

All art: Collection Jewish Museum, Amsterdam © Charlotte Salomon Foundation

THE STORY of a young German artist
who moved to France before being
deported and killed in Auschwitz has
encouraged actress Audrey Tautou to
leave semi-retirement for an intimate
six-show performance at a Paris theatre.
From January 19-25, Tautou will be
alone on stage as she narrates the life of
Charlotte Salomon, accompanied only
by a musician and projected images at
La Seine Musicale.
Tautou told L’Obs: “The artist is so
beautiful, her work so strong. And it’s
essential to speak of Nazism, of deport-
ation, of which she was a victim. That’s
why I accepted this adventure, which is
completely new for me.”
The play’s text has been reworked by
French writer David Foenkinos, with
whom Tautou, 47, has worked previ-
ously, from his 2014 novel Charlotte.
Born in 1917 to a Berlin doctor and
nurse, Charlotte suffered tragedy when
her mother died when she was eight.
She later began art studies but after
the Kristallnacht attacks on Jews in
1938, her father and stepmother fled to
the Nether­ lands while she went to
France to be with her grandparents.
They, and other Jewish refugees, had
taken refuge at l’Ermitage, the villa of
American millionaire Ottilie Moore, in
Villefranche-sur-Mer, near Nice.
France soon became less safe: the
Nazis occupied the north in 1940, then
fully occupied the south in late 1942.
In the few years Charlotte spent on
the Riviera, she made an outpouring of
work (left) doctor friend
was inspired of her an­guish
by her life. over her moth-
Right, a er and grand-
self-portrait mother. She
and, far said she found
left, actress herself at a
Audrey Tautou crossroads,
wondering
“whether to
alone with him” take my own life, or undertake some-
– a reference to thing eccentric and mad”. Her friend
what is believed encouraged her to put it all into her art.
to have been sex- “I will live for them all,” she wrote,
ual abuse. Else­ referring to the women in her family. “I
where, she shows sat there by the sea and looked deep
work, much of which became Life? or lished the art in turn, and organised an him asking her to “share a bed with me”, into the heart of humanity. I became my
Theatre?, consisting of 769 pieces. exhibition in 1961 and in 1971 donated saying it is “natural”. mother, my grandmother… I learned
She asked a doctor friend to keep the it to the Jewish museum in Amsterdam At one stage, she left him to paint in to travel all their paths.”
works for Mrs Moore, who had Charlotte, whose visa was linked to a hotel room on Cap Ferrat, but was The powerful results evoke many
returned to the US, taking several being her grandfather’s carer, suffered obliged to go back due to visa issues. themes, some dark and disturbing,
Jewish children with her. “Keep this multiple family traumas in her short life. She wrote: “To have gained insight into others full of the light and beauty of
safe, it is my whole life,” she said. Soon after joining her grandparents, every­thing then have to return to take southern France. The last image shows
It combines images and texts inspired she moved with them to Nice, where care of him… I was sick, I was constantly Charlotte in a swimming costume,
by her and her family’s lives (however her grand­mother died jumping from beet-red from mute rage and grief.” looking at the sea as she sketches.
the names are changed). a window after the outbreak of war. She added that “my grandfather was Life? or Theatre? can be viewed online
Charlotte, who had recently married She had been told her mother died the symbol for me of the people I had at tinyurl.com/charlotte-life.
and was pregnant, was arrested with her from flu but her grandfather later said to resist… someone who had never felt L’Ermitage no longer exists, but the
fellow refugee husband by the Gestapo she had also killed herself – as had her true passion for anything”. nearby street bears its name and the
at L’Ermitage in September 1943. aunt and several other relatives. In one Shockingly, a confession text, only mairie put up a plaque about Charlotte
They were deported to Drancy, out- painting, he says to her: “Why don’t published in 2015, reveals she poisoned in 2015. She is not yet a household
side Paris, and sent to Auschwitz. She you go ahead and kill yourself?” him with an omelette laced with drugs name, partly because her art is not sold
was killed by gas after arrival, aged 26. Charlotte and her grandfather were her grandmother had kept in case of the on the open art market. However, retell-
The doctor later passed the art to imprisoned briefly in a camp in the Nazis’ arrival. She says she watched him ings of her story are becoming more
Mrs Moore who gave it to her parents. Pyrenees. Life? or Theatre? shows her die and sketched the scene. Some com- common, including a 2021 animation,
They kept it for years, showing it only crou­ching on the floor in a crowded mentators think the confession is also a voiced by Keira Knightley and in French
to the father of Anne Frank, who had train en route to the camp with him but work of art and mixes fact and fantasy by Marion Cotillard (universcine.com/
asked if they thought his daughter’s she writes she would “rather have 10 but it is generally thought it was true. films/charlotte-1). For the Paris show,
diary was worth publishing. They pub- more nights like this than a single one Some time earlier, Charlotte had see tinyurl.com/charlotte-seine.

Cracked homes: MP calls Are you a contractor or thinking

for shrinkage diagnostic
HOUSE-buyers should be told
about the risk of structural dam-
age from clay soil shrinkage
before purchasing a property, a
French MP recommends.
Cracks can be caused when the
soil that houses are built on
shrinks during droughts, then
swells after rain, known as retrait-
gonflement des argiles (RGA).
A certificate on this as part of
the file of diagnostic checks is
one idea in Vincent Ledoux’s re-
port to the Interior Ministry.
It follows a government order
in February aimed at changing
the rules that deter­mine when a
natural disaster can be declared,
thus making it easier to succeed
with RGA insurance claims.
Decrees putting it into action are
expected shortly.
The order also called for better
training for insurance assess-
ors and for them to be held
accountable if their reports are
later found to be false. Many vic-
tims end up hiring their own ex-
pert to support a claim, costing
about €1,000-2,000 and often a
percentage share of any payout.
Mr Ledoux’s report says more
could be done: for example,
surveys could examine the risks
when planning permission is
sought for buildings, and prop-
erty advertisements could have a
link to georisques.gouv.fr, where
potential buyers can learn about
risks in the property’s area. They
could also be told about the
number of nearby houses where
claims have been paid out linked
to this.
His report, which is adviso-
ry, also states that house loans
and taxe foncière should be
suspended on properties where
the cracks are so bad that they
cannot be safely lived in.
Insurers should pay to rehouse
victims, he adds – a maximum
of six months’ cover, which he
deemed insufficient, comes into
force next year.
A record €3.5billion was paid
for homes damaged by droughts
in 2022, according to estimates.
Although the amount is likely
to be a quarter of that for this
year, half of homes are estimat-
ed to be potentially at risk. The
problem usually affects detached
houses rather than flats.
In recent years, claims for
this represent 60% of catastro-
phe naturelle claims. Repeated
heatwaves are making fissures
worse and increasing the num-
ber of communes involved.
Roughly half of requests by
communes to have episodes rec-
ognised are turned down, leav-
ing some people unable to live
in a home for which they are still
paying a mortgage.
Public finance watchdog Cour
des comptes has said criteria
used by national officials who
make these decisions do not take
of working remotely from France?
enough account of realities on
the ground. If you are planning on working
The new decrees should help, from home in France as a freelancer,
taking more account of the ‘slow Are you a contractor or thinking of working
contractor, remotely from France?
or for your existing
and progressive’ nature of the UK employer and have concerns
phenomenon. Experts say fra-
If regarding compliance,
you are planning social from home in
on working
gility can build up over years, so charges or declaring your work
even small cracks should not be France as a freelancer, contractor,
then Challenge & Co. have
or for your existing UK employerthe and have
ignored.
perfect regarding
concerns solution. compliance, social charges or
It takes an average 13 months
between a mairie alerting offic- declaring
As youryour work then Challenge
English-speaking Umbrella& Co. have
ials and a ‘cat nat’ decree, a thecompany
perfect solution.
in France, we can provide
process that is much faster for Asyou
your English-speaking
with employee statusUmbrella
under company in
other natural disasters. France, we canSalarial
provideregime
you with employee status
our Portage giving
Officials mostly use data from
under ourfreedom
you the Portage Salarial regime
to freelance giving you the
without
national bodies to assess whether
an area was subject to ‘unusually freedom to freelance
the worry without the worry of self-
of self-employment
intense’ heat at the time of the employment
in France. in France.
claim, when compared to the
last 50 years.
• Employee, Health, Unemployment & Retirement
The coming reforms include
benefits
recognition that damage can n Employee, Health, Unemployment
result from a succession of more • No administration
& Retirement benefits
‘average’ hot episodes. • Fully Compliant solution for your Agency,
A new body is also to be set up No administration
n Current Employer or Clients
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Note that if you have a home
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ered by the garantie décénnale. www.freelanceinfrance.com English speaking helpline +33 (0) 249 880 125 contact@freelanceinfrance.com
n Member of PEPS (syndicat des
Otherwise, you need to con- Professionnels de l’Emploi en
tact your mairie if you identify Portage Salarial)
cracks, especially if they are go-
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 Residency cards /
6 News
Visas / Admin connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

How Britons abroad can now register to vote again

LONG-AWAITED details on
how to re-register to vote in the
UK have been published for cit-
izens who have been living
overseas for more than 15 years.
Regulations are due to come
into force on January 16 and
will affect around three million
people worldwide, including
many in France, who had lost
their right to vote.
Those UK citizens should be
able to apply via a revamped
online process before the end of
January, in time for the next UK
general election, which is likely
to be in spring or autumn.
Groups supporting Britons in
France also advise those who
have not lost their voting right
under the former 15-year limit,
and have not yet registered, to do
so now at gov.uk/voting-when-
abroad. Do not assume you are
still on the register – up to now,
annual renewal has been required
for people overseas, though this is
changing to every three years.
Jenny Shorten, president of
LibDems in France, said: “We’ve
been told by several election
administrators in the UK that
they are expecting quite a rush
when the new process opens.
Britons who have not been away
“
Election
officials in
the UK are
expecting
quite a rush
Jenny Shorten,
LibDems in France
for more than 15 years and are
not registered should do so
before the new year.”
The new regulations, currently
going through final checks, set
out details about how UK
nationals can re-register follow-
ing the Elections Act 2022.
Ms Shorten said they give elec-
tions officials the details needed
to finalise forms and other admin
and their publication is “a relief ”.
In addition to people who
were registered in a UK constit-
uency before moving abroad
and who have been away for
more than 15 years, these other
groups will be able to register:
n People who were too young
to vote when they left the UK
and whose parents or guardians
were registered but left more
than 15 years ago or were not
registered;
n Overseas British citizens who
have lived in the UK at some
point but never registered to vote.
If you fall into the following
groups, you can register already:
n You were previously regis-
tered to vote and left less than
15 years ago;
n You were too young to be
registered but your parents or
guardians were registered in the
UK and you left the UK togeth-
er less than 15 years ago.
Britons who have never lived in
the UK will not be able to vote.
How to register
Start preparing your documents,
including making copies, scans
or good quality photographs if
you are applying online, which
is recommended.
You will need your National
Insurance number or a UK
identity document, such as a
UK passport – even an expired
one might be acceptable.
If applying now, you need to
supply the address where you or
your parent/guardian were last
registered to vote.
What is needed if you cannot sign up until January?
IF YOU were previously registered in a UK
constituency, you will need to give your address
there, but if you left more than 15 years ago and
have not since been registered as an overseas
voter, records might be difficult to access. If so,
you should look for any documentary proof of
your last UK address. This could include a:
n UK driving licence (even expired);
n Court document such as a grant of probate or
letters of administration; a letter from the Office
of the Public Guardian confirming the registra-
tion of a lasting power of attorney;
n Letter from HMRC;
n Council tax demand letter or statement;
n Rent book issued by local council; statement
of benefits or entitlement to them; letter from the
DWP confirming entitlement to a state pension;
n Letter from a school, college or university
confirming attendance or the offer of a place, or
a letter from the Student Loans Company;
n Official copy of the land register entry for the
relevant address or other proof of ownership,
such as a solicitor’s letter confirming purchase;
n Form P45 or P60, or a reference or payslip
issued by a UK employer;
n Bank passbook or statement, or a letter from
a bank confirming the opening of an account, or
a credit card statement;
n Utility or mobile phone bill, or letter from an
insurance company.
If all else fails – for example, because you left
the UK as a child and never had such docu-
ments – the regulations say that local council
officers can ask for an ‘attestation of previous
residence’. It is unclear on the website if provid-
ing this upfront will be an option.
This will be a signed statement that you used
to live at a named UK address, giving an indic-
ation of the dates when, to the best of the attest-
or’s knowledge, you lived there.
Attestors should be UK electors and of ‘good
standing in the community’, unless overseas
electors. They can do this for only two people.
Ms Shorten said it is so far unclear if a person’s
‘good standing in the community’ is meant to
relate to the the constituency where you will vote.
The opportunity to deal with the postal voting
delays from which people suffer “has not been
fully grasped” in the regulations, she added. The
government has promised it will prioritise send-
ing overseas ballots but intends to go on provid-
ing ‘business reply’ envelopes for return, which
are not always familiar to French post offices.
It also remains likely that time will be too tight
once again for some Britons abroad to be sure of
their ballot arriving on time, Ms Shorten said.
She advises the proxy option. It has been
promised that this will now be easier to select
online at the same time as registering to vote.
A proxy does not have to live in the constituen-
cy where you will vote, because it is possible to
ask for a proxy vote by post. They must be a UK
voter, and, according to the new rules, should not
be a proxy for more than four people overseas.

Visa plan: second-home owners make News in brief

n Increased fees are confirmed

‘big contribution’ to their communes

Continued from page 1
Î
Two other amendments relat-
ing to foreign second-home
owners, including one for a
five-year visa aimed at all
foreign owners, were rejected.
Senator Berthet promised to
consider what amendment
could help British second-home
owners in an interview with
The Connexion in June.
We contacted her because she
was among lawmakers who
expressed support for them in
2022 to Facebook group France
Visa Free, which later turned its
attention to opportunities pre-
sented by the new bill.
We ran a survey to help and
more than 1,000 people replied
(tinyurl.com/berthet-survey).
Ms Berthet had written to the
Foreign Affairs Ministry in
spring 2022 about the 90/180
days restriction Britons face.
She also pointed out that all
EU visitors to the UK can stay
for up to six months under UK
immigration law.
This September, she then
wrote to the Interior Mini­stry
proposing a ‘special status’.
She referred to King Charles
III’s recent state visit to France
as evidence of the valued rela-
tionship between the countries.
The procedure in the UK to
obtain a temporary long-stay
visa for stays of four to six
months is costly and complex.
Many readers who have tried
say they could not face it again.
French consular officials, and
three offices run by contractors,
for people going to visa
appointments at TLSContact
in the UK.
The processing fee for a long-
stay visa has risen from €36 to
shows otherwise,” he said, add- €55 (this is in addition to the
What did Senate reject or back in the new immigration bill? ing: “There are areas where the €99 visa fee); the use of the pre-
THE SENATE has, in the main, toughened the ally. They would have to apply, stating their second homes are those that the mium lounge is €100, up from
immigration bill, as initially drafted by the desire to become French, and must not have French would not buy.” €50; courier return of the pass-
Interior Minister. Here are decisions of note: spent more than six months in prison. Britons also pay property port with the visa sticker is €30,
Rejected Quotas for economic migration should be taxes for the full year and claim up from €18 and a ‘prime time’
Residency cards to regularise illegal immigrants enforced, and living in France irregularly should no benefits. appointment (on Saturdays and
working in under­staffed sectors. be a délit (crime) with a €3,750 fine. Many make a “significant” mornings from 7:30 to 8:30)
Toughened Obtaining a multi-year residency card should economic contribution to their costs €60, up from €50.
The aide médicale d’état healthcare scheme for be made dependent on showing level A2 in communes, he added, but they n Lawyers for campaigner Alice
undocumented migrants should be replaced French, which requires ability to communicate are not “all privileged or rich” Bouilliez report having a full
with a more restrictive one related to serious, in simple, routine tasks and use common and many made sacrifices to courtroom and a lot of questions
urgent conditions only. expressions. At present, applicants only have afford a second home. from the judges at a hearing
Immigrants should live in France for five years to take lessons if their level is insufficient. The idea is also supported by about Britons’ post-Brexit rights
before claiming housing benefit or family allow- Kept the founder of Facebook group at the European Court of Justice
ance, as opposed to six months. New four-year ‘medical talent’ residency card 180 Days in Spain. Andrew in Luxembourg.
Immigrants who want to bring over close fam- for doctors, pharmacists and midwives. Hesselden said he is “delighted They are awaiting the result
ily via regroupement familial should have to wait Added to see French senators recognise after pleading before the court
for 24 months, rather than 18, should have The senators accepted an amendment allow- the issues that British part-year on the issue of lost rights,
‘regular’ income, and their family members ing residency cards to undocumented migrants residents have faced since including European election
should have a minimum (A1) level of French. who sue landlords who take undocumented Brexit” and he remains “hopeful voting, which they believe
Children born in France to immigrant famil- migrants and charge rack rents. of similar recognition in Spain”. should not have been so easily
ies would no longer become French automatic- n Bill includes stricter rules for retirees: Page 10 Read more about the Senate taken away by the Brexit vote.
debate at tinyurl.com/senate-2r. Mrs Bouilliez, a retired civil
have been struggling to offer tradespeople and said he is “It seems normal to me to make MPs’ email addresses can be servant from Gers, said: “It went
enough appointments to cope active in his village community. it easier for British citizens who found at tinyurl.com/Fr-MP- a lot better than expected.
with the demand since Brexit, Charlotte Allain, who has have owned a property in France details by clicking on their name. “Our lawyers put our argu-
including Britons wanting to owned a home in Limousin for from before Brexit to come”. Tools such as deepl.com might ments across really well and got
move to and/or work in France. 17 years, said there is “finally a She said she would support the help those without fluent several questions, which they
Previously, they would have light at the end of the bleak amendment if it is debated, as French, but ask a French speak- answered beautifully. Hope is
mainly processed visas for, tunnel of Brexit”. opposed to just accepted, by er to check your letter. still alive.”
among others, people such as She hopes to spend as much MPs, “in the name of the histor- It is unclear how the idea n Campaign group British
UK-based Asians and Africans time in France as possible dur- ic friendship between our coun- would work with the European in Europe, which supported
who wanted to move to France. ing her retirement. “We love tries, as well as the beneficial, Entry/Exit Sys­ tem automated Britons during the Brexit pro-
Dozens of Britons have written our home and France,” she said. notably economic, effects that it border checks due next year. All cess and received a charitable
in support of Ms Berthet’s idea. We also contacted the MPs’ would have for our country”. EES users will also pass in front fund grant for this year to work
Fraser Watson, who has had a France-UK friendship group. France Visa Free founder of an official’s desk. on overseas Britons’ voting
home in Tarn for 15 years, said The office of its president, Steven Jolly, 67, a retired teach- Some Britons wonder if boat or rights is appealing for donations
it would encourage him to Franco-Briton Alexandre Hol­ er with a home in Mayenne, mobile-home owners could to continue its work.
spend half the year here and royd, said he supports the idea called the adoption of the idea benefit. This is unclear, but they This will include liaising with
invest in home improvements. but has not defined his position by the Senate “very pleasing”. might be more likely to be seen officials over the last steps
Otherwise, he is considering with regard to the amendment. “When I began the campaign as a ‘French home’ if located for re-registering, and helping
selling and reinvesting in the One of its vice-presidents, to get a better mobility arrange- at a marina/park on a settled to inform Britons worldwide
US. He estimated he has spent Caro­line Colombier (Charente, ment, there were some who said basis, especially if they pay about their new rights. See brit-
in excess of €200,000 with local Rassemblement National) said: we would never succeed. This property tax. ishineurope.org.
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com News 7
150 new admin help Tomb of tragic first Miss France restored
centres to be opened Fines pile up on

Photos: Wikipedia/Comoedia illustré /Cimetières de France et d’ailleurs

AN ADDITIONAL 150 France Services centres,
offering free support with admin tasks, are set to
open by the end of this year, taking the total to
motorway with
no toll barriers
2,750 outlets across the country.
These walk-in sites provide face-to-face support
related to nine areas of bureaucracy, including
tax, health, family, housing and employment.
Trained staff can help with a range of digital pro- FRANCE’S first stretch of the toll is taken automatically
cedures, including renewing driving licences, motorway without toll barriers for motorway badge-holders.
filling in tax forms or applying for benefits. has amassed more than 180,000 APRR told The Connexion:
The goal is for everyone to have access to such outstanding fines in its first “For foreign plates, we work with
help within 20 minutes of their home. year – with many foreign driv- specialised collection companies,
Find your nearest France Services centre using ers among them. often located in the countries of
this interactive map: tinyurl.com/3anunjny. Agnès Souret, left and The automated system covers origin.” It said it could not iden-
See also page 28 inset,, and her restored
inset the A79 between Digoin and tify these companies.
tomb, above Montmarault in central France, Drivers’ organisation 40 mil-
Warning issued over THE TOMB of the first Miss France has
been restored to its former Art Deco
Basque-based tour guides launched a
petition to have it restored.
a busy route linking the
German, Swiss and Italian bor-
lions d’automobilistes said people
were not adequately informed

deadly Devil’s weed

glory, almost 100 years after she died at
the age of just 26.
Bayonne-born Agnès Souret, who rep-
GARDENERS have been resented Aquitaine, won a contest
Photo: Wikipedia/Taka
Jérôme Zapata, 41, said he was com- ders to the Atlantic coast. about the system and should be
pelled to act after feeling “ashamed at the APRR, the firm handling the warned before being penalised.
catastrophic state” of the tomb. data, said drivers in many other The system claims to improve
“The marble was no longer pink and countries, including the UK, are traffic flow and reduce fuel use

warned to watch out for launched by a journalist and the now was rotting. There were large cracks and sent fines if they do not pay. as drivers do not stop at tolls.
toxic plant datura stramon- defunct newspaper Le Journal in 1920 to the stained glass on the top of the tomb However it could not explain Other motorways scheduled
ium, or Devil’s weed, find ‘the most beautiful woman in France’ was falling to pieces. Now it’s a marvel.” how UK addresses are accessed to become barrier-free include
pictured. The plant has after sending in her communion photo. The restoration cost the village of as the official exchange of driver the A13 (Normandy) and A14
been spotted in several She went on to become a stage star, Espelette, home to just 2,000 people, data between the UK and France (west exit of Paris), the A69
areas, most recently in appeared in a silent film and danced with more than €15,000, but Mr Zapata said it ended with Brexit in 2021. (opening in 2025) between
Yvelines and Haute-Saône. the Monte-Carlo Opera and at the Folies has also put a star back into the spotlight. Drivers’ plates are photo- Toulouse and Castres, and the
It is sometimes found in Bergère. Then, on a tour in Argentina, “More people are recognising Agnès graphed as they pass through A40 in Haute-Savoie.
vegetable plots and has she contracted peritonitis and died. Souret, the first Miss France,” he said. the 88km stretch of the A79.
large oval ‘toothed’ leaves as well as a nauseating Her mother Marguerite sold the home The 2023 edition of the annual Miss The owners have three days to n More than 100 French resi-
smell, according to government agencies. in Espelette that Agnès had bought for France competition takes place in Dijon pay online or a €90 penalty fol- dents fined for driving in
All parts of Devil’s weed are dangerous. If her to pay for a magnificent Art Deco and will be broadcast on December 16 on lows, in addition to the toll fee. London’s ultra low emissions
touched with bare skin, it can lead to vomiting mausoleum. The pink marble edifice was TF1. Last year’s event attracted a peak of The fine increases to €375 if it zone are waiting for news about
and hallucinations. A family of four were pois- listed as a historic monument in 2006, but 8.1 million viewers, almost on a par with is not paid within 60 days. a legal challenge after claims that
oned by it in 2020 but survived. If consumed, despite the accolade it slowly fell into the 8.7 million who watched the most There are also pay machines their data was illegally accessed
depending on the amount, it can be fatal. disrepair. Then, in January 2021, two popular stage of the 2022 Tour de France. at nearby service stations and by Euro Parking Collection.

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 8 Agriculture connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

Farmers juggle ‘food sovereignty’ with

eco transition and dwindling workforce
France’s agriculture minister has pledged an extra
€1billion for farming in 2024 – a 15% rise in the budget.
The aim? To support environmental transition and
attract more workers. However, as Nick Inman discovers,
this might be easier said than done
I LIVE in a rural community and I was being paid for such intensive
admire the farmers I know. domestic food production.
It is a demanding job and without Since then, farmers have been subject
them there would not be much to eat to mounting public criticism about

Photos: Nick Inman

in the shops – all of it would be
imported from far away at enormous
cost to the environment.
Then again, around me I see endless
fields of maize and sunflowers kept
under control with fertilisers and pest-
icides, and chainsaws ripping through
ancient woods and hedgerows to
squeeze a few more square metres of
cash-crop cultivation.
On the news, there always seem to be
disgruntled farmers living off Common
Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies
blocking the roads in protest at some
new government directive preventing
them doing exactly what they want.
Self-sufficiency and subsidies
To understand what is really going on
in French agriculture, says Jean-Luc
Laffonta, who runs a family arable farm
of 70 hectares in the Adour valley, north
of Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées), people
need to know the historical context.
It begins almost 80 years ago when a
decision was taken, after World War
Two, to make France as self-sufficient
as possible in food production.
It is hard for us to imagine how things
were in post-war continental Europe.
Until the 1950s, field size was deter-
mined by how many family members
and hired hands could be mustered to
pull out the ever-encroaching weeds,
and the choice of crops was entirely
dependent on the climate.
their record on pollution and habitat
protection, and have had to deal with
heavy government regulation.
Farming needs to change, to adapt to
both the threat of climate change
and global economic forces that do
not favour anything other than indus-
trial production.
That change is made more difficult to
effect because of a paradox that began
in the 1950s. While French agriculture
was becoming more efficient, it was
simultaneously starting to decline.
People born into farming commun-
ities began to leave the land in search
of more varied, less demanding work.
“Farming has changed,” agrees Jean-
Luc Laffonta. “I used to have some free
time. Now I don’t have any. In high
season, I have to survive on four or five
hours of sleep a night.”
For a long time, he found it difficult
to recruit an assistant but he has now
found someone dependable and that
enables him to “catch up with work
that should have been done long ago”
and even have the occasional weekend
off. If not, farming for most of the year
is a 24/7 commitment.
At the same time, the mass import-
ation of cheap foreign food began to be a
reality for consumers and the domestic
farm industry became less important.
Farming now contributes only 1.6%
to French GDP. The 760,000 people
Pressure to be both profitable and sustainable is
making life increasingly difficult on French farms
‘We do our own thing, we serve our own customers’
PATRICK Massé and Isabelle Lauzin, pictured right, run the countryside. Patrick
a 33-hectare mixed organic farm north of Tarbes and Isabelle are not
(Hautes-Pyrénées) but they are in the process of retiring. eco-campaigners and have
They started out not with the aim of getting rich but to no interest in persuading
make a living while sticking to their principles. more conventional farmers
The concept is holistic and sustainable: they grow crops to change their ways: “We
to feed their animals and in return get natural fertiliser to do our own thing; we serve
produce crops our own customers.”
“We didn’t want to use chemicals,” Patrick explains, “and Nevertheless, they show
we wanted to avoid problems with water consumption.” what can be done with commitment and hard work.
A few years ago, they had an enormous oven built in They would like to pass on the farm when they retire, but
their barn so that Isabelle could turn the farm’s cereals neither of their sons wants to go into agriculture, and find-
into wholemeal bread, which is supplied to shops around ing someone else willing to take on a demanding outdoor
the region. job for the scant financial reward has not proved easy.
She regularly welcomes visits from school groups so that They are resigned to the possibility that their fields and
children can learn about the reality of making a living in pastures might have to be left to be swallowed by nature.
ination, who keep the landscape well These two pressures meet in a way even from farming families dating
tended and rural communities alive. that most of us are unaware of: con- back generations – do not want to
Farmers are also essential to the scientious farmers might do all they work the land at any price. They want
culture of good French living: they can to reduce their environmental a 35-hour week, a working day that
supply the foods and wines that make impact but they have to compete with starts after dawn, not before it, com-
up the most famous culinary tradition cheap food imported from other coun- fortable conditions, the sociability of
in the world. tries where regulation is more lax. being part of a team, and a guaranteed
No surprise, then, that in September Subsidies alone are not the answer. salary at the end of the month.
Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau No farmer wants to depend on them
proposed an additional €1billion for – they would much rather prices reflect ‘Dialogue is key’
farming in 2024 – a 15% increase in the worth of their produce. The government believes financial
the budget – and €2.5billion for 2025 Those prices fluctuate, of course, for incentives will be enough to fix the
and 2026. Part of this will go towards good or bad. problem. If it is wrong, small farms

Automatic irrigation was a dream for
the future. Farm work was back-break-
ing. My late neighbour Pierre showed
me his ox-drawn plough that he used
until the first tractor arrived in our
village. He grew up using the same
farming techniques employed by the
ancient Gauls 2,000 years ago.
Then, French agriculture suddenly
leapt into the modern world. Farmers
needed to be encouraged to let go of the
traditional methods of cultivation, to
mechanise, to concentrate on profitable
crops, and to make liberal use of syn-
thetic chemicals to boost production.
This required a generous regime of
subsidies and policies favouring farm-
ers that drove the sector forward for
the next 30 years.
Environmental cost & declining workforce
This policy of nurturing agriculture
at any cost to keep produce flowing
into the shops was almost universally
accepted during the boom years of the
Trente Glorieuses – the three decades
of post-war prosperity.
The result was that France became
the biggest food-producing country in
the EU – accounting for 18% of the
total – and the third-biggest food
exporter in the world.
Only in the 1980s did it become
apparent that an environmental cost
“
In high
season I have
to survive on
four or five
hours of sleep
Jean-Luc Laffonta,
Farmer
employed in it (only a quarter of
whom are women) represent just
2.4% of the workforce – far behind the
service sector.
Political clout
Yet no politician can afford to treat
farming as a marginal economic force.
Every presidential candidate knows
that he or she does not stand a chance
at the polls if he/she has not visited
agricultural fairs to admire prize bulls
or been photographed at market stalls
sniffing local cheeses.
The land is held in almost sacred
reverence and the custodians of most
of it (52%) are farmers.
They are the people who keep France
looking as it does in the nostalgiimag-
creating a “food sovereignty and eco-
logical transition fund” to support
farmers decarbonising their activities,
developing renewable energy product-
ion or adapting to climate change.
With half of France’s farmers due to
retire in the next 10 years, Mr Fesneau
said he also wants the number of new
farmers joining the profession to grow
exponentially.
To that end, the government is set-
ting up a ‘farmland holding fund’ to
make land more easily available to
those who wish to purchase it.
Appeal for patience
So, once again, French farming is in
transition. The challenge for the future
is for it to continue producing food
while also respecting the environment.
Mr Laffonta appeals for critics to be
patient with farmers, especially with
those, like himself, who are making an
effort to operate in a sustainable way.
Adaptation takes time, he emphasises.
It means unlearning the old ways and
adapting to the new – and sometimes
recovering traditional methods lost in
the rush for growth and monoculture.
Farmers are squeezed from two
directions, he says. They are expected
to comply with ever-tighter environ-
mental regulations and also to make a
living with the minimum of subsidies.
“The war in Ukraine has made grain
prices go up,” one farmer told The
Connexion, “which should be good for
me but I don’t want to profit from
someone else’s misery.”
Difficult choices ahead
Choices will have to be made: cheap
food is not always compatible with
the highest standards of production or
environmental protection.
Vast fields of maize without trees and
hedgerows can make agriculture profit-
able but they provide no habitats for
wildlife. Farmers know this but cannot
always do anything about it. To replant
hedgerow is a hefty investment of time,
energy and money. Government and
EU subsidies help but they are not suff-
icient in themselves.
Then there is the problem of handing
on farms to the next generation. Most
only keep going because of a hidden
form of private subsidy: pluriactivité.
This is a hybrid lifestyle in which one
or more members of a farming family
earns income from non-agricultural
work. It often involves various forms of
paying guests for holidays à la ferme.
An estimated 40% of farm revenue in
France comes from these other activ-
ities. It is only a short step from here to
sons and daughters abandoning farm-
ing altogether. Many young people –
will be swallowed up and farming will
become ever more ‘industrial’.
Mr Laffonta is adamant that we
should see farming as more than a busi-
ness. It is part of an ordered society.
To ask farmers to sort out their own
problems is to miss the point. We are
connected to them as consumers. If we
expect to buy their products at the
lowest prices, we can hardly ask for
environmental protection as a comple-
mentary service.
“Clearly, agriculture and society need
to engage in dialogue,” he said.
“This is possible and always con-
structive with the vast majority of peo-
ple: those who are grateful, those who
are aware, those who don’t pretend to
know everything, those who question
rather than assert. Those who trust us,
who acknowledge the complexity of
our profession.”
Everyone – farmers, consumers, cam-
paigners, politicians – wants the same
thing at heart: a living countryside in
which the human need to exploit the land
is balanced with the needs of nature.
If France is to continue to be a major
food producer and meet its environ-
mental commitments, the various part-
ies involved are going to have to adapt
to the demands of an increasingly
free-market and wisely climate-
concerned modern world.
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com News 9

MPs call for end to fines Should £5 bust be sold for £2.5m?
A MARBLE bust bought for £5 bled across it and Invergordon

for private forest walks

Photo: The Highland Council

and once used as a doorstop is council turned to Sotheby’s for
the work of a famous French a valuation.
sculptor and could raise £2.5 Sotheby’s said the piece was
million for public works in the “very collectible and therefore
Scottish Highlands. marketable”.
TWO MPs are calling for the Some memers of the Easter The auction house found a
Rural pathways at risk
Photo: Assemblée Nationale 2022

abolition of a law that fines the Ross Area Committee want to buyer willing to buy £2.5million
public for entering private for- FRANCE’s rural pathways are sell the sculpture – but others for it and pay for a museum-
est, saying it is wrong to crimi- at risk of being lost by being say it is part of local history and quality replica to be displayed
nalise access to nature. sold or illegally fenced off, an must remain. in the Scottish town.
Since February, anyone walk- organisation has claimed. The bust was created in 1728 Asked what would happen if
ing on private rural and forestry Codever, which lobbies to by Edmé Bouchardon, whose the public decided to keep the
land, which accounts for 75% of maintain spaces for outdoor other works can be found in the bust, a spokesman for the
France’s forests, can, in theory, leisure activities, said land gardens of Versailles and also in Highland Council said it would
be fined up to €750 after the consolidation to create farms, the Louvre. be “inappropriate” to comment
introduction of the Privacy Act. roads or railways, and local It depicts Sir John Gordon, an or speculate on any outcomes at
It sought to limit the fencing residents illegally fencing off 18th-century Highland MP and such an early stage.
of natural areas, which affected Vienne MP Lisa Belluco public paths were contribut- descendant of the Scottish Bouchardon, who died in
wild animals’ wellbeing. Ecologist MPs Jérémie ing to their disappearance. family that founded the local The Bouchardon bust 1762, created the bust while he
However, some landowners Iordanoff and Lisa Belluco have “It happens everywhere, port of Invergordon. should maximise what’s in it, was living in Rome and Sir John
have used the law, dubbed by tabled a bill to repeal the unfortunately,” said Codever The bust has been on loan to rather than maximise its value. was on the Grand Tour.
critics the “privatisation of nat- Privacy Act which they say director Charles Péot. the Louvre in Paris and the “They are spending tens of Bouchardon’s other works
ural spaces”, as a way to protect criminalises access to nature. “These rural pathways are Getty Museum in Los Angeles. millions converting Inverness include the Four Seasons foun-
their property by preventing They also plan to propose a very important because Now, the decision on whether Castle into a museum, so per- tain in Paris, an equestrian
people accessing their land. second bill to explore improv- they’re part of our heritage, a to sell will now be decided by a haps they should put some statue of Louis XV in Place de la
Since the act was passed, ing access, including urging bit like historic monuments. public consultation. things in it,” he said. Concorde that was destroyed
activists have been fined for local authorities to maintain “They are essential if you Art historian Bendor Gros- The Bouchardon Bust was during the Revolution, and
entering a private plot of forest rural paths for the public. want to enjoy walking in all venor said: “It would be nice if thought to have been lost during neoclassical statues in the
in the Alpes de Haute-Provence, “We don’t want to put land- its forms. A whole host of they kept it. a local government reorganisa- gardens of Versailles.
and Isère landowner Marquis owners in a difficult position,” nature sports and walkers “If I was reading the council tion. Since its rediscovery in
Bruno de Quinsonas-Oudinot Vienne MP Ms Belluco, 35, told need these trails.” report with a sceptical mind, it 1998, it has mostly been kept n A painting in the home of a
used the law to ban what he The Connexion. Mr Peot said Codever wants looks like they’ve been quite keen safely in storage. pensioner in Hauts-de-France
dubbed “disrespectful onlook- “We understand that they also to change legislation to better on selling it for some time now.” In 1930, it was bought for just that almost got sent to the tip
ers” from setting foot on his have their own imperatives, and protect rural pathways. Although he understood why £5 by Balintore council in a has been bought by the Louvre
land in the Chartreuse they need people to respect He also encouraged people millions of pounds might be house sale. for €24 million.
Mountains nature reserve. their properties. to use them as much as possi- attractive, Dr Grosvenor said it It later found its way to a An auctioneer identified the
The Marquis said he was pro- “But access to nature, to green ble to prevent nature reclaim- was a “reductive” viewpoint. storage shed, where it was used work by chance as a masterpiece
tecting his flora and fauna, spaces in general, is absolutely ing the paths, as well as help “If the local council has a as a doorstop for a while. The Derision of Christ by 13th-
claiming a “flood of attacks”. essential for so many reasons.” volunteer to maintain them. heritage collection, then it Then, a local councillor stum- century Italian painter Cimabue.

Water heaters Many flights to be axed

turned off for
four million
as software is upgraded
THOUSANDS of flights arriv- expected to be affected. State-
Protect
your savings
MORE than four million house- ing at and leaving the Paris of-the-art air traffic control
holds are to have their water region will be cancelled in early management software 4-Flight,
heaters automatically turned off 2024 as new air traffic control developed by Thales, will be
this winter for the second con- software is deployed. tested at the Orly Area Control

from inflation.
secutive year to ease demand on Airlines have been told to Centre (ACC).
the grid. reduce flights from Charles de It replaces the current system,
An official decree will enable Gaulle, Paris-Le Bourget, Orly which is one of the oldest in
energy suppliers, including and Paris-Beauvais airports by Europe, dating back to the 1970s
Enedis, to access Linky meters 20% between January 9 and and blamed for many delays.
and prevent water heaters firing February 14. Officials said upgrading the
for a maximum of two hours A total of 16,500 short and technology was a “necessary evil”
between 11:00 and 15:30. medium-haul flights will be as it would be able to handle
The move affects the 4.2 mil- cancelled during that period. more aircraft, while also optim-
lion households that have both Air France flights alone account ising traffic flow. We are all too aware of the recent inflation Talk to the people who know
Linky meters and energy con- for 4,379 cancellations. 4-Flight has already been challenges, but you also need to look ahead
tracts that include two hours The airline said customers deployed in the Aix-en-Provence and understand how the rising cost of 0 805 112 163 (N0 Vert)
off-peak energy per day. would be notified directly and and Reims ACCs. living can impact your savings and income
Their water will instead be offered automatic rebooking on It is scheduled to be installed throughout retirement. Even low levels can france@blevinsfranks.com
heated at night. No other appli- another available flight. in the Brest and Bordeaux erode your spending power year after year.
ances will be affected. Long-haul journeys are not centres by November. www.blevinsfranks.com
Clients will be notified a few Take steps now to try to protect your

Bakers win legal fight to

days in advance and action will savings and retirement income – talk to
only be taken on days when our local advisers. Blevins Franks has
there is high demand for energy. 45 years’ experience providing financial
The prevention measure can
apply from December 1 to April 1.
Enedis is also to test using
open seven days a week planning advice to British expatriates. We
take the time to get to know our clients,
so our investment advice is based on your
Linky meters to automatically A NEARLY 20-year-old decree ations representing employers
reduce power in 200,000 homes that forced bakeries in south and their staff. specific situation, objectives and risk profile.
nationwide. The trial is limited east France to close one day a Mr Dufour said lifting the We then provide an ongoing service, with
to weekdays and will cut power week has been repealed. restriction would help put bak- regular reviews to give you peace of mind.
from 6kVA or 9kVA to 3kVA for From February 1, 2024, baker- eries on an equal footing with
up to four hours at peak times. ies, bakery-pastry shops, bread outlets such as supermarkets
This would allow low-level shops and outlets with a fixed or that also sell bread. INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVICE • INVESTMENTS • ESTATE PLANNING • PENSIONS
equipment to be used but might mobile bread counter across the It also aimed to better meet Blevins Franks Group is represented in France by the following companies: Blevins Franks Wealth Management Limited (BFWML) and Blevins Franks France SASU
prevent bigger items, such as Hautes-Alpes can open seven the needs of the buying public, (BFF). BFWML is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority, registered number C 92917. Authorised to conduct investment services under
the Investment Services Act and authorised to carry out insurance intermediary activities under the Insurance Distribution Act. Where advice is provided outside of
dishwashers, also operating. days a week if they wish. following changes in the food 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 taxation advice; its tax advisers are fully qualified tax specialists. Blevins Franks France SASU (BFF), is registered with ORIAS, registered
Households will be told in Prefect Dominique Dufour, trade over the past 20 years. number 07 027 475, and authorised as ‘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
writing if they are included, but who repealed the March 2003 Despite the change, businesses Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et Financier and L512-6 and 512-7 du Code des Assurances (assureur MMA).
170-fr

Blevins Franks Trustees Limited is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority for the administration of retirement schemes. This promotion has
they cannot refuse. More details decree, said the decision came must comply with the rules con- been approved and issued by BFWML.

are to be announced. after consultations with organis- cerning weekly rest for workers.
 10 What’s new connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

Fuel allowance, GP fees, energy rewards... what’s new in France

1: Electrical repairs sign up in your space on Engie’s ed for a discount of between it has been announced. More
Know your licence points

Photo: Nomad_Soul - shutterstock

A BONUS that gives money
off repairs to household items
is rising from January 1
Launched a year ago, it aims
to stop people discarding items
and works via accredited firms
(see: tinyurl.com/mr9wczp3).
It is available for residents
and second-home owners and
is not related to income.
The bonus is being doubled
for TVs, washing machines,
tumble dryers and dishwashers
and is rising from €15 to €40
for vacuum cleaners.
For some other appliances,
including laptops, cookers and
kettles, the bonus is increased
by €5. The €180 repair price
threshold for laptops (the
repair must cost at least as
much) drops to €150.
New kinds of appliance will
qualify for the bonus, including
shavers, microwaves and print-
ers. See: tinyurl.com/2cavxuyr.
A bonus to help pay to repair
clothes and shoes was also
launched in November.
See tinyurl.com/clothesbonus.
2: Energy rewards
ELECTRICITY supplier Engie
is rewarding clients who save
energy this winter.
To benefit, Engie clients can
sign up to the free écodéfi +
service, where they can save
money by being careful with
usage on certain days. You can
website and you will receive 20-25% on a third-party policy, details are now awaited.
alerts of ‘challenge’ days. and 12% to 15% on comprehen- Some driving schools said DRIVERS with French licences who
See tinyurl.com/engie-defi. sive insurance. teenagers were already opting want to know how many points they
to take a test rather than accom- have can soon find out using a secure
3: Free public transport 5: Fuel allowance panied driving courses, which new website MesPointsPermis.
BUSES and trams in THE €100 fuel allowance has have a higher success rate. Scheduled to launch this month, it
Montpellier are to become been extended to cover 1.6 will also allow drivers to find out the
completely free for residents million more people on low 7: Car selling app expected date for recovering any
(not visitors) from December wages who use their cars for A NEW government app can licence points they have.
21, making it the first French work, including travel to work. replace paperwork when buy- From January 1, points will no
city to offer free public trans- Up to six million people ing and selling a used car and longer be lost for speeding within
port all year round. Residents could benefit from the cheque, speed up the process. five km/h, but you can still be fined.
can claim their free transport which is paid per car. To qual- Simplimmat.gouv enables
pass either online or in a TAM ify, the earnings limit is €1,600 buyers and sellers to follow the
Montpellier transport store. net per month for a single steps to legally exchange the €31.50. Many other medical tion rates are €9.99 on the web
person, and €4,800 for a couple vehicle as long as they are both tariffs also rise by €1.50. or €12.99 on iOS and Android.
4: EV insurance rise with two children. Apply at physically present. In all cases, the amount reim- Parent company Meta con-
ELECTRIC vehicle insurance impots.gouv.fr. Each must have the app bursed by the French social firmed data from subscribers
premiums are set to increase as downloaded and have their security system stays at 70%. would not be used for adverts.
their exemption from a special vehicle paperwork to hand. Initially, the subscription will
tax on insurance contracts 6: Teenage drivers 10: Solving disputes cover all linked Facebook and
(taxe spéciale sur les conven- FRANCE will allow 17-year- 8: Electric TER tested DISPUTES can now be amic- Instagram accounts in a user’s
tions d’assurance) comes to an olds to take a driving test and, THE FIRST in a new line of ably solved by a judge prior to accounts centre but extra fees
end on January 1. This account- if they pass, drive on the roads, 100% electric TER trains is a court hearing and subsequent for any new accounts added
being tested in Nouvelle- ruling. A confidential discus- will apply from March 1.
Aquitaine. A TER built in the sion can be had before a hear-
Reforms to RSA benefit 12: Gun ownership
Photo: ricochet64_shutterstock
early 2000s has been retrofitted ing between the judge and
PEOPLE who receive the social welfare to draw all of its power from parties that can lead to an JANUARY 1 is now the dead-
benefit revenu de solidarité active must a lithium battery and is now amicable settlement. line for people who hunt with
soon devote up to 15 hours a week to an quieter and more eco-friendly. If it does, the parties can guns to declare firearm owner-
activity that helps them find work and Refitted TER trains will enter draw up an agreement with the ship on a website, with other
register with the job centre, Pôle Emploi. service in late 2024, between help of the court clerk. gun owners having to declare
Disabled and sick people, and single Bordeaux and Mont-de-Marsan. by dates later next year.
parents of children under 12, are exempt. 11: Paid-for Facebook These deadlines have been
The changes are part of the Full 9: GP fee has risen FACEBOOK and Instagram put back several times.
Employment Act, which will see Pôle THE COST for an appointment users in France and the EU, You can create an account at
Emploi rebranded as France Travail. to see a GP (médecin traitant) aged 18 and over, can now opt sia.detenteurs.interieur.gouv.fr.
The measures will be rolled out over has risen from €25 to €26.50. to subscribe to paid-for, ad-free You will need your hunting
several years from January 1. Fees to see a specialist that versions of these social media licence and proof of address
were previously €30 are now platforms. Monthly subscrip- and identity.

Immigration bill tightens Most homes not ready Dates for your diary
December 6: St Nicholas Day.

for January’s waste law

rules for foreign retirees
RETIREES and early-retirees moving to France
would face stricter rules if an article added by
senators to France’s new immigration bill is
passed into law.
The issue was flagged to us by a reader con-
cerned that the change might stop retirees re-
maining in France beyond a few years. This
is not the case, but the requirements to stay
would change.
If retained by the Assemblée nationale MPs this
month, article 1er bis will mean that foreign retir-
ees cannot stay in France for longer than five years
by renewing ‘temporary’ one-year residency cards
on an indefinite basis, as they can at present.
They will instead be obliged to apply for, and
obtain, a 10-year carte de résident, which is
currently optional, after their fifth year in France.
This is because the new article says you cannot
renew a ‘temporary’ (one-year) residency card
more than three times.
It is aimed at forcing immigrants who work in
France to apply for ‘multi-year’ cards (usually of
four-years duration), which involves a language
requirement.
However, the ‘visitor’ cards obtained by retirees
and early-retirees cannot be replaced by a ‘multi-
year’ card. Instead, after one year on a visa de
long-séjour valant titre de séjour ‘visiteur’, they
would be able to obtain a first ‘visitor’ residency
card, then renew it three times.
After that, they would have to obtain a ‘resident’s
card’ to stay on. The latter is called carte de rési-
dent de longue durée – UE, and lasts 10 years.
The new article was proposed by a Les Répub-
licains senator for Brittany and a Centrist senator
for Occitanie.
Compared to renewing a one-year temporary
card there are extra requirements, including:
n Signing a ‘Contract of Republican Integration’
saying you adhere to Republican values. The pre-
FROM JANUARY 1, household
‘biowaste’ must, according to the
fecture should also be satisfied that you are Agec Law, be separated from the
integrated in France and can, if it wishes, ask rest of your rubbish.
your mayor for his or her view on this; It can be dealt with either by
n If you are under 65, you should pass a French yourself – by turning it into
test showing you have at least level A2 in the compost to reuse on your plants
European language levels. This means you can use – or by the council.
basic everyday expressions and can cope in simple However, in most of France
situations. It is one level up from the most basic residents and local authorities
beginner level, A1. From the age of 65, this is not are reportedly not ready.
required; There is, as yet, no sanction for
n You will need to provide evidence that you lived members of the public or coun-
in France as your main home in the previous five cils that fail to comply, but EU
years in an ‘uninterrupted’ manner. law says that by 2025 no bio-
waste should be disposed of in
The official service-public website states that ordinary tips and incinerators.
evidence of the latter requirement can include, Households will be expected
for example, your French income tax statements, to have another separate bin at
previous residency cards, receipts from your card home for kitchen waste, such as
renewal applications, or certificats de scolarité peelings, coffee grounds, old
(documents showing you were studying in a bread and meal leftovers, as well
French educational establishment). as green garden waste.
In theory, according to EU law, to acquire this It is then up to you and your
card you should have made France your home neighbours if you want to turn
in an ‘uninterrupted’ manner for five years and this into compost for your own
should not have been away for more than six use. However, it is not compost-
months at a time, or more than 10 months in total ing that is obligatory, but separ-
over the last five-year period. ating biowaste from other waste.
In another bill article, obtaining a ‘multi-year’ So, for example, blocks of flats
card will involve passing a language test at A1 should have new containers
level, as opposed to just taking a test and agreeing where you can place this (often
to take lessons if you do not meet this level. with a brown lid).
This would particularly affect self-employed and Councils should offer collect-
employed workers and people coming to France ion solutions, whether locations
to join family members, who will typically get a where you can bring it, door-to-
‘temporary’ one-year card as their first card. door collection, or special bin
It is unlikely to pose too much difficulty, as most lorries designed to collect it so it
of them would in any case rather obtain a four- is not mixed with other waste.
year card, then renew annually, and the A1 In the latter case, special treat-
language level requires only very basic French. ment plants are also needed,
For more on the immigration bill see page 6 where the waste can be recycled
into compost and biogas.
Councils are also meant to offer
financial help to people who
want to do composting at home,
or offer training in doing it.
Questions have been asked
about whether this will put up
local taxes to compensate for
costs. Arguably, it will not be the
case if communes group togeth-
er to organise this, and if the vol-
ume of waste treated in tradi-
tional plants is reduced.
Most rubbish is now burned
or put into landfill, despite 70%
being recyclable. The law aims
to reduce carbon emissions,
improve soil with compost,
and boost biogas production.
Some areas have taken a lead,
such as in Greater Reims, where
authorities have expanded exist-
ing rural individual and shared
composting schemes, and plan
to increase voluntary drop-off
points from 150 to 500.
Composters are being offered
at competitive prices in some
areas: for example, from €15 for
a 400-litre model in Toulouse to
€36 in Dordogne for a 600-litre
composter and bucket.
By 2019, 157 local authorities
had set up or were organising
separate collection. The 25
communes around Lorient in
Brittany launched this in 2002.
The council said: “Every year,
37kg of biowaste is collected
from each inhabitant, totalling
8,000 tonnes per year and much
less waste is sent to landfill,”
Towns in the north and east of
France celebrate the figure who
has been the patron saint of the
Lorraine region since 1477.
December 6: The deadline to
use the online service allow-
ing you to rectify any missing
income or other mistakes in
your income declaration.
December 7-10: The Lyon
Festival of Lights. More than
two million people enjoyed
this festive spectacle last year.
December 15: The deadline for
small businesses and freelancers
to pay local business property
tax (cotisation foncière des
entreprises, or CFE). If you set
up in 2023, you should file
your CFE declaration before
January 1, 2024.
It is also the deadline by
which to order an EV and still
benefit from the 2023 scale
eco bonus.
December 20: Details of uni-
versity courses will be available
on the Parcoursup website.
December 23-January 8:
Christmas school holidays.
December 25: Christmas bank
holiday. December 26 is not a
bank holiday in France.
December 31 New Year’s Eve,
also known as le réveillon de la
Saint-Sylvestre. Also the end of
the flu vaccination campaign.
 The Connexion December 2023
Pantomime finds new French fans
THE TRADITIONAL Christ-
mas pantomime, often put on
by Britons living abroad, is
attracting a wider audience as
more and more French people
enjoy the colour and fun.
While Hollywood films
can come with subtitles for
non-English speakers, amateur
pantomime groups need no
such support to ensure that the
people coming to their shows
are having a great time.
“Probably more than half of
our audiences now are French,”
said Martin Walker, a member
of Toulouse-based Secret Panto-
mime Society (SPS).
“They love the fact that we
are breaking down the wall
between the audience and the
people who are on stage.”
SPS is part of a thriving panto
network in south west France,
and has been entertaining audi-
ences almost every year since it
launched in 1984.
“It’s quite an achievement to
reach 40 years, especially for an
amateur group,” said Mr Walker,
who moved from Congleton
in Cheshire to France in 1997
with his aeronautical job.
He first got involved with
panto in 2000, making his stage
debut in 2008. To celebrate the
big 40, the troupe is staging a
special version of Aladdin.
“It is going to be the biggest
one we have ever done because
we go into five different panto-
mimes. We kick the show off
with five different dames on
stage,” he said.
When asked how the annual
show goes down with locals,
he said: “French people love
it, even though it’s in English,
because it’s so colourful and
More EV chargers and new ‘affordable’ model unveiled
THE BUDGET to install electric
vehicle (EV) chargers across France
has been increased by €268 million.
The bulk will go into the Advenir
programme, which aims to install
175,000 publicly accessible chargers
by 2025, and is currently focusing
on apartment blocks.
Rules of many syndics de coprop-
riété (elected bodies that manage
the common areas of flats), current-
ly make it difficult for chargers to
be installed.
Advenir said it is working to
change attitudes and regulations.
In addition to the money for the
programme, €68 million of govern-
ment funds will be used to co-fi-
connexionfrance.com News 11
FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002
Photo: Secret Pantomime Society
Subscribers save money
+ benefit from exclusive
daily web articles
Photo: Les Troubadours Britanniques de Limoux
SPS bring Pinocchio to life, left, and, above, the cast of
Robin Hood, by Les Troubadours Britanniques de Limoux
musical. We might have started Here are some recent subscriber
off as a little pantomime just
among the British community,
Art form has roots here too web-only articles:
but now we’re truly inter- IT IS often believed pantomime is a British import to France, n ‘Black computer visa right’ for Britons?
national.” a cultural injection for Britons living abroad screen’ scam targets n Free, Orange, SFR:
Another group is hard at who miss the dash of festive colour. people in France which mobile operator
work on its Christmas show. The panto tradition also has French roots, n See four places voted best covers France?
Launched in 2013, Les Trouba- however, starting with jugglers performing
‘Ugliest in France 2023’ n Thefts from private
dours Britanniques de Limoux at medieval village fairs and continuing in
(The British Troubadours of the local theatres that replaced them. There, n What is the ‘automatic letterboxes multiply
In our January issue...
Limoux) was created so people the 16th-century Italian art form Commedia
living in the area could indulge dell’Arte flourished, giving rise to characters
their love of amateur theatre. including Harlequin and Pierrot.
Trudy McGilvray, 65, joined
after moving to France in 2016.
“I’m passionate about the
In 18th-century London, the knockabout Harlequinades, a
combination of slapstick and music, delighted audiences for
around 100 years. In Paris, Jean-Gaspard-Baptiste Deburau,
Your questions answered
whole art of theatre and mak- pictured, owner of the Théâtre des Funambules, became one of the n Am I legally obliged to permission to sell?
ing it inclusive and sharing it country’s most celebrated pantomime performers of the 1800s. change my residency card n What is lightning certifi-
Photo: Wikipedia/Arsène Trouvé
with people,” she said. Both countries then took the art form in different directions. if I move within France? cate for home insurance?
“There’s a large British contin- France embraced comedies of manners, while in Victorian n How do you open a joint n Does French forced heir-
gent in the area but for our last England, a change in the law allowed dialogue to be spoken for bank account? Are there ship law affect tontine?
dress rehearsal, we performed the first time in theatres that did not have a royal patent. It meant different kinds? n I am 70: why did I not
to the local lycée and we had fairytale characters, principal boys and dames were soon woven
more than 100 students come,” into plays, evolving into what we now know as pantomime. n Children are set to inher- obtain any money off taxe
she said. it house; do we need their foncière bill?
“We also do a French potted amateur drama association, from Cwmbran in Wales,
panto version at fêtes.
“It explains the eccentricities
founded by veteran actor
Donald Douglas, is based in
said the group of passionate
amateurs pride themselves on
PLUS KEY POINTS OF...
of the dame being a man, but
playing a woman, and so on.”
Les Cabannes, in the Ariège.
Launched just after lockdown,
putting on a good show.
“We are trying to make our
The courts system: taking legal
Like SPS, the Troubadours the group put on a Christmas Cinderella visually entertaining action and who does jury service
has an international cast, with revue last year, with songs, so if French people come, they
Bargain
a core of English and Welsh poems and mini-plays. will see a lot of visual gags.
players but also American, It followed it up with a full “They won’t actually have to
French, Finnish, German and play and, when asked what follow every piece of dialogue
hunter!
Dutch members. the next project should be, because it’s going to look colour-
The Troubadours’ pantomime “unanimously everybody said ful, bright and fast-moving.”
this year is Puss in Boots. we want to do a pantomime”,
Ms McGilvray has no said chairman Phill Hill. n Aladdin runs from
concerns when it comes to Rehearsals are well under way January 27 to February 3 at
language barriers between the for their Cinderella panto Théâtre Musical de Pibrac.
global cast and the audience. “We are an older theatrical secretpantosociety.com
“Pantomime is inclusive troupe, and so needed to find n Puss in Boots runs from De-
theatre, it’s very visual and fast. something we could cast within cember 8-10 at Le Théâtre dans
There’s music and dancing so it the group and that would also les Vignes in Couffoulens. tbdl.fr.
transcends nationality.” work for our audience, who are n Cinderella runs from
A more recent addition to mostly retired people, or over December 15-16 at the Théâtre
the France-based pantomime the age of 50,” Mr Hill said. Le Colombier in Les Cabannes.
family is The Tarn Players. This The 57-year-old, originally www.thetarnplayers.fr
INTERVIEW
Save money with
France’s most popular
nance 12 projects to add 2,500 fast
or ultra-fast chargers to the coun-
try’s main roads and autoroutes.
shopping influencer
Electric mobility trade body Avere
said in a study that average EV These and many more practical tips and topics
drivers, who charged at home 85% about life in France + full access to our website
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Photo: Citroën
of the time, saved up to three times
the cost of diesel or petrol.
The body also called for more
control of public charging point FRENCH carmaker Citroën’s ‘affordable’ EV, the ë-C3,
Subscribe now at connexionfrance.com
costs, warning that some firms add pictured, is set to go on sale next summer for €23,300
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 12 Profile / Culture connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

TV angel Mimie’s greatest power is

turning disability into a driving force
Mimie Mathy may be little What they say about her
known outside of France ‘She is the face of courage and
but in her home country self-sacrifice. It is an extraordinary
feat to have overcome disability to
she has inspired millions such an extent and turn it into a
by overcoming disability to strength. I think she has given a
lot of inspiration to a lot of people.
achieve TV stardom and a She is a life lesson’
place in viewers’ hearts, Patrick Bruel, singer
Théophile Larcher looks at ‘I said “If you’re big in your head,
her extraordinary life you’ll be big”. And she put all that
into practice because she’s intelligent.’
Michel Fugain, singer
THERE is a guardian angel watching
over France’s 67 million people and ‘Joséphine? Like Joséphine,
Photos: Abaca Press / Alamy

her name is Joséphine Delamarre. Ange gardien?’

At least, that is the premise of the What US film actor Brad Pitt
21-season (and still going strong) TV reportedly said to a PR woman
Above: At the César Awards 2020 with her Dix pour cent
series Joséphine, ange gardien. called Joséphine at the
castmates and, inset, with her father in 2013 (Mathy credits
Virtually every French person from Mimie Mathy 2023 Cannes Film Festival
her parents for putting her disability into perspective)
the age of three, across all back-
grounds, genders and regions, will up on the outskirts of Lyon. Her cond- “Michel took over from my parents. 11.8 million viewers. Mathy was lured not afraid to speak up on issues she
have watched at least one of the 104 ition stopped her growth at 132cm, He helped in telling me that I was to rival channel TF1 after it sent flow- feels strongly about, calling out French
episodes in their lifetime. and Mathy claims to have understood different but that I should use it as a ers to congratulate her on the success snobbishness over popular culture on
Launched in 1997, it is among TF1’s as young as four, during a trip to the driving force rather than a weakness,” of the shows. TV, for example.
most profitable shows, with viewing butcher, that it would mark her out as she said in 2001. Laurent Chouchan, screenwriter She revealed in 2015 that she had to
figures ranging from six to 11 million ‘different’ by the looks and comments Like most aspiring actor/singers, of Une nounou pas comme les autres, send a letter to the César Awards, the
per episode. she attracted. she was drawn to Paris and from 1982 pitched a new TV show about a guard- French equivalent of the Oscars, in
The eponymous heroine, who uses a However, she credits her parents with to 1984 joined Le Petit Théâtre de ian angel sent to Earth to resolve order to be recognised as an actress
mixture of psychological insight, per- helping her put her situation into per- Bouvard, a popular TV show show- people’s problems – and the rest, as and be able to vote.
suasion and magical powers to help spective, compared to other ailments casing the most promising French they say, is history. “I wrote a letter to Alain Terzian
people who have problems, is played and disabilities, and she was never stand-up comedians and where future Joséphine, ange gardien was the [former president of l’Académie des
by Mimie Mathy. allowed to wallow in self-pity. stars such as Les Inconnus, Chevallier making of the channel, pulling in César] saying ‘I don’t think that when
She is now not only one of France’s Her father, an amateur saxophonist, et Laspalès and Muriel Robin rose jaw-dropping audience figures. Depardieu comes to make a TV film,
highest paid actresses, but among also introduced her to music, and she to fame. The show also helped launch the he stops being an actor.’
its best loved too. Mathy, 66, has developed an interest in theatre while It was there that she met Michèle careers of many French actors and “You’re not a TV actor or a film or
consistently ranked among the 50 performing at Village Vacances Famille Bernier and Isabelle de Botton, with has been broadcast in Belgium, theatre actor; you’re just an actor.”
Personnalités préférées des Français – holiday camps, which offered enter- whom she formed a female comedy Switzerland, Italy and Quebec. Her successes have also been belittled
an annual end-of-year popularity chart tainment and activities for children. trio called Les Filles, and she soon Mathy says she is often approached in the left-wing media, but such criti-
published by Le Journal du Dimanche – Keen to pursue her passion, Mathy started picking up small roles in by strangers in the street who mimic cism does not faze her.
since 2002. applied to a French variety group TV films. the finger-snapping her on-screen “If you ask me to choose between a
“I have to admit this chart makes me called Le Big Bazar, which was set A string of stand-up shows from the character is famous for before disap- certain ‘intelligentsia’ – I am putting
feel good. It is a little Christmas gift up by singer Michel Fugain. late 1980s to the early 1990s helped her pearing back to heaven at the end of it in inverted commas because I am
that I like,” she once told Europe 1. He advised her to finish her studies become a household name in comedy, each episode. Children, she adds, will unsure of its intelligence – and the
She has also carved a career for her- first, but called her back in 1979, when and audiences packed Paris’s most often call her ‘Joséphine’. public, I do not hesitate and choose
self in comedy and music and, since she was 22, with an invitation to join popular venues, such as Le Point The show’s success and her natural the public,” she said in an interview
1994, performed numerous times in the Atelier Fugain in Nice, the first Virgule or Le Splendid, to see her. likeability have seen plenty more work in 2017.
the annual Les Enfoirés charity con- music hall/variety school in France. Nationwide fame was achieved with offers come Mathy’s way, including in More recently, her outspokenness
cert, raising funds for the charity She chose the stage name Mimie Une nounou pas comme les autres (‘A an episode of the hit comedy-drama made news in July after a post on
Restos du Coeur. rather than her real name Michèle – it nanny like no other’), a TV film she show Dix pour cent (‘Call My Agent!’), the social network X (formerly
However, Ms Mathy’s path to success was the nickname she was given when co-wrote for France 2 in 1993 that playing a caricature of herself. Twitter) lambasted a journalist who
has not been an easy one. she started performing aged 17. attracted 12.8 million viewers (52.7% She is equally well-known for her falsely claimed TF1 was pulling the
She was born with achondroplasia, As well as teaching her the practical of the audience share). charity work – as well as fundraising plug on its flagship programme.
a form of dwarfism, on July 8, 1957. lessons for life in the entertainment The follow-up Une nana pas comme for Les Restos du Coeur, she is a good- “Joséphine still has some great miss-
The oldest of three sisters, she grew industry, Fugain served as a mentor. les autres (‘A girl like no other’) secured will ambassador for Unicef. Mathy is ions to accomplish,” she promised.

‘Special and different’: French culture remains an exception to the rule

Thirty years after
the concept was
formalised, we look at
how treating culture
differently from traded
goods plays out in
practice in France
THIS autumn, France’s ‘cultural
exception’ rule, which allows
films, books, music and other
culture to be treated differently
from standard commercial
goods, was hailed a success
in an article in Le Monde.
The term l’exception culturelle
was coined in 1993 during
General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade negotiations in
response to a perceived threat
of ‘Americanisation’, as manifest- nomic and social aspects, while be protected from market mech- For 2024, the CNC will receive to revolutionise the media land-
ed by the influence of, for exam- the United States refers simply anisms, on one hand, because it a projected €746million. This scape, sustaining l’exception cul-
ple, Hollywood blockbusters. to ‘entertainment,’” she said. touches on the ident-ity of peo- helps explain why, in France, turelle has become tricky.
France wanted cultural goods It means a solely commercial ple but it also carries a whiff of domestic films’ market share in Consumers now have more
and services to be an exception product in any other country, elitism because it sees itself as cinemas is 41%, compared to options to seek out what they
in international treaties, notably such as a McDonald’s hamburg- special and different.” 27% in Germany, 22% in Spain, want to watch, undermining
with the World Trade Organ- er, can be imbued with cultural That difference has been nur- 21% in Italy and 8% in the UK. France’s ability to impose effect-
ization, and to protect and pro- significance in France, moving tured for decades, with quotas CNC president Dominique ive quotas and leading to more
mote its own production. Free- from merely ‘foodstuff ’ to a imposed on non-French movies Boutonnat used these statistics scrutiny of a film’s profitability.
market rules should not apply. symbolic attack on French and music on TV channels and in the Le Monde article to under- After winning the Palme d’Or
French governments had long farming and way of life. radio stations, and mandatory line the success of l’exception in May, Anatomy of a Fall direc-
viewed culture as a unique port- The concept has spawned financing of French films. culturelle, insisting it also allows tor Justine Triet went so far as to
folio, requiring privileged legis- endless debate. While one side The latter takes the form of a for more diverse films to be accuse the state of abandoning
lative treatment. supports its redistributive ideal tax on all cinema tickets, includ- made, which regularly pick up the cultural exception.
This attitude stems from and championing of risky or ing US blockbusters, which is major awards. But critics point For economist Françoise
France’s unique interpretation idiosyncratic projects, oppo- funnelled into the Centre out that a quarter of French Benhamou though, the concept
of what culture is, says Hélène nents accuse it of being a foil National du Cinéma (CNC) films sell fewer than 10,000 tick- is still alive. While its definition
Ruiz-Fabri, professor of interna- to protect French film, TV to foster new French films. Its ets, and argue that the system might be blurry, the notion is a
tional law at the Sorbonne and and music producers from budget is also fed by a tax on handsomely rewards France’s cornerstone of French cultural
expert on cultural diversity. commercial reality. TV channels and, more recently, top actors for films that often policy and pride. “What remains
“Culture in France embraces “This is the ambiguity of it,” platforms such as Netflix, turn out to be financial flops. today is an exception for culture
philosophical, political, eco- said Ms Ruiz-Fabri. “It should Disney+ and Amazon Prime. As digital technology continues and for France,” she said.
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com Nature / Parenting 13

Lozère plains prepare

Mongolian horses for
life back in the wild
Professor Simon Payne, species was discovered by
Russian explorer Colonel
a nature writer Przewalski in 1879 in what is
specialising in now Mongolia. Within 100
years, however, they were
conservation and extinct in the wild.
rewilding, visits the Competition with domestic
animals, hunting, and capture
Inset: spatuletail_shutterstock
ation of the horses before return
to the wild in Mongolia,” says
Mr Perrin, its current director.
In 1993, 11 horses came to
Le Villaret from zoos across
Europe and immediately
responded well to the cond-
itions, establishing family

Photo: Simon Payne

innovative French for zoos, circuses and private
project helping rare collections killed them off.
So the last truly wild horse
horses thrive once was gone. Others you might
again on the steppes think of as wild, such as those
in the Camargue, or mustangs
of Central Asia in North America, are simply
feral domestic horses.
ONLY a few small clouds dot Only a few takhi survived in
the vast sky above the rolling captivity in zoos across Europe
plateau of the Causse Méjean, in and beyond, but recent efforts
Lozère in southern France, when have seen some return to their
groups and breeding.
Reintroduction to Mongolia
followed, with two groups
travelling 7,000km to a new
home in Khomyn Tal, in the Above: Przewalski’s horses
west of the country. bear a striking resemblance
Florian Drouard, Takh’s oper- to those depicted in the
ational manager for conserv- Lascaux cave paintings from
ation translocations, recently the palaeolithic period, inset
returned from a scientific
monitoring visit to Mongolia. Right: A family group on the
“The project has been a big Causse Méjean

Photo: Simon Payne

I visit – a site that that for the last
three decades has been home to
a surprising rewilding scheme.
Only metres from the tiny
road that leads to Le Villaret,
the hamlet where it is based,
is a small group of browny-
cream, stocky horses.
With dark, stiff manes and
large, boxy faces, they are dis-
tinctive – and familiar: perhaps
from the palaeolithic cave
paintings we all know from
Lascaux, a few hours north of
here. These are Pzrewalski’s
horses, or ‘takhi’ – their name
in Mongolian, from where
they originate.
Jean-Louis Perrin of Takh, the
Association pour la Sauvegarde
du Cheval de Przewalski, says:
“It is a wonderful site, truly
unique, and remarkable to
think we have now had these
animals here for 30 years.” The
homeland in Mongolia at last
– and run free again.
Claudia Feh, a Swiss equine
specialist, is among those who
had a vision for their reintro-
duction – with two crucial
elements. First, the horses
should be prepared by living a
wild life, with no feeding or
human intervention, in as
similar conditions to Mongolia
as possible. Second, she wanted
them returned to the wild in
established family groups.
With backing from the Mava
foundation, set up by the
philanthropist and co-founder
of the World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF) Luc Hoffmann,
Ms Feh acquired 400 hectares
at Le Villaret, and Takh was
born.
“It was something unbeliev-
able at the start, to find a place
so well suited to acclimatis-
success,” he says.
“The horses have adapted
well. There are now 143 horses
living wild at Khomyn Tal.”
So successful has the scheme Despite its apparent success, Finally, there is the risk of population in the Causse
been that the Mongolian gov- however, the future of the cross-breeding between takhi Méjean. There are also uncert-
ernment declared Khomyn Tal Takh programme is fragile. and the many domestic horses ainties within the association,
a national park in 2020. In Mongolia, the threats to in Mongolia. following the death of Luc
Sebastien Carton de Gram- the takhi are serious. The true wild horse might Hoffman and the subsequent
mont, who has worked at Takh Overgrazing, especially, is a be lost to history and cave closure of the Mava foundation.
from the start, says: “If you country-wide problem. Cattle, paintings. Mr Perrin says: “The associa-
look back just over 30 years, sheep and especially goats, kept Consequently, Takh’s focus tion is in danger, financially.
there were no Przewalski’s for high-value cashmere, far has shifted slightly in recent After celebrating 30 years of
horses in the wild. They only exceed the carrying capacity years. “We have to keep the takhi at Le Villaret, we need to
lived in zoos. Now, between of the grasslands – sometimes horses here, as a reservoir for make sure the horses are still
Khomyn Tal and two other seven to 10 times, says Mr the survival of the species,” here in another 30 years.
reintroduction sites, there are Carton de Grammont, who last says Mr Perrin. “So we are looking for new
more than 800 in the wild.” visited Mongolia in 2022. The fragility of the population investors and new support.
He adds that the horses Climate change is also an and conditions in Mongolia “We need a bigger commun-
coming from France were issue, leading to greater desert- has given new momentum to ity to follow us, as financial
introduced to the wild in ification in a country already Takh. Working with partners donors but also to be part of
established family groups and dominated by the arid and in Spain and Hungary, it is the project.”
were more able to survive in semi-arid conditions of the searching for suitable European Those interested in support-
Mongolia, coping better with Gobi Desert in the south. With habitats, where takhi can live ing it can find more inform-
predators and other pressures. this comes reduced grazing. wild, as well as maintaining the ation at takh.org.

No fussiness, strict bedtimes and other French parenting rules

Cynthia Spillman
points out some
of the differences
of bringing up
children in France
I WAS brought up ‘the French way’
and it continues to serve me well.
While what I am about to say is in no
way meant to denigrate the British or
American way of bringing up children,
I do feel there are certain aspects of
French parenting that we can benefit
from adopting.
Respect and discipline are paramount
My parents were authoritarian and
my mother ruled the roost in terms
of discipline and instilling respect in
her five children.
We were taught to respect our
elders, not to interrupt and the basics
of “please” and “thank you”.
When I was a child we had to ask
permission to leave the table, and
every night before bed we went round
kissing everybody goodnight on the
cheeks, wishing them bonne nuit. This
could take a long time and, of course,
the next morning we had to repeat it,
wishing them a good morning.
In France, politeness and manners
are non-negotiable.
We also had duties drawn up on a
chart, such as laying and clearing the
table, washing the dishes and general
domestic chores.
Once a week, my grandfather would
sit at the head of the dining table and
distribute our argent de poche – if we
had been well behaved.
Socialising with adults
One of the refreshing aspects of
France is that children are allowed to
socialise at family and other events.
This way of relating provides the
child with social skills that will last
a lifetime. Children, on certain occa-
sions, are allowed to stay up well past
their usual bedtime and they must fit
in with the adults, rather than the
other way round.
However, in France parents are strict
about having their own time too.
Boundaries are enforced and children
must comply with them. When it is allowed to master skills and develop
bedtime, there is no room for debate. tenacity. They are raised to accept that
Parents demand their own space in life can be challenging, that difficul-
the evening. ties will come and that there s no
French parents also expect their need for self-pity.
children to sleep all night as early Experience is the best teacher, and
as possible. French parents are there to support,
This does not mean leaving them when necessary. However, French
to howl, but the expectation is that children are expected to first have a
the child should at least be given go themselves.
the chance to self-soothe before Credit is given only where credit is
the parent rushes to their aid. due. When they are given praise com-
mensurate to their achievements, then
Fussy eating is out they can develop a true sense of pride
From the start, French children are in their accomplishments.
expected to eat vegetables, fruit, and
adult foods, albeit puréed when they Parents have their own lives
are tiny. They are repeatedly served the My mother came from a generation
same as adults. If they do not eat it, of women who generally did not work,
they will not be offered anything else. but that did not stop her being one of
Perpetual snacking is also frowned the chic-est people I ever knew.
upon. Food is to be savoured and Despite having five children, she
enjoyed. Treats are permitted, but never had a hair out of place. She was
within reason and at the right time. always beautifully dressed and
everything coordinated.
No mollycoddling It did not have to cost a fortune
French parents believe in instilling either. My mother crafted a full life for
confidence in their children. They herself, pursuing her interests in fine
learn by experience. Children are arts, volunteering, and socialising with
her many friends, English and French.
Nowadays, most Frenchwomen work.
There is an expectation that they will
go back to work as soon as possible
and childcare is lined up to allow it.
The French extended family still
exists, but parents resume their lives, a
part of which is centred around caring
for their children.
To conclude, French parenting
methods have their advantages but
you do not have be a slave to them.
Take what you like, and leave the
rest.
n You know what works best for your
child. While it is beneficial to learn
from another culture, if your child is
happy, then you are doing a great job.
n No parent is perfect, so do not
be consumed by guilt.
n Do not compare and despair.
Children are all different and there is
no law which says you must raise your
children ‘the French way’.
n Look for the similarities in
child-rearing and not the differences.
n Children will always be unpredict-
able. Do not beat yourself up!
 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 December 2023
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

O Marine Le Pen
She is a regular columnist in The Connexion. n 12 November between
100,000 and 180,000 people
(depending upon which news

France should face

source one believes) marched

goes where her

through Paris and other French cities
to protest against anti-Semitism, in

up to the horrors of
an event arranged by the two houses
of the French legislature.
The immediate cause was the

father could
shocking attack on Israel by Hamas

its colonial past

terrorists on October 7, with its
knock-on effect of whipping up feel-
ings against Jewish people around
the supposedly civilised world.

not and backs

Although he did not take part, the

Photo: Wikipedia/Pierre de Coubertin/Isabel Hapgood

THE past power of Imperial France defines march had the endorsement of
much of central Paris. You can see it in the President Macron, while two of his
classical buildings, grand avenues, statues and predecessors, Nicolas Sarkozy and
triumphal arches. All are testaments to a way François Hollande, led it.

France’s Jews
of life that was exported across the world. With them was Elisabeth Borne,
Gallic culture was viewed as a natural succes- the current prime minister, whose
sor to the glory that was once ancient Rome, father survived Auschwitz but later
and the French wanted it spread far and wide. committed suicide; as well as Gérard
The great problem with this mission was that Larcher, the head of the French
it was defined as a “duty to civilise the inferior Senate, and Yaël Braun-Privet, the
races”, as Jules Ferry, the 19th-century Prime speaker of the Assemblée nationale.
Minister put it. The French considered them- 19th-century Prime There could not have been a more supporters of Mme Le Pen. Now it forge a common, non-racial vision of
selves to be top of a racial hierarchy that justi- Minister Jules Ferry establishment demonstration of is shifting onto Islamic extremist France for the future.
fied them exerting control over alleged lesser support for the Jewish community’s groups, or to some on the hard left. He had made various deeply offen-
peoples. Hence the slaughter and conquests across the globe. right to live without fear. In 2007 I went out to Saint-Cloud, sive remarks about the Jews through-
Millions of people were subjugated by a country which revelled in the However, perhaps the most to the luxurious housing estate out his career (the worst of which
motto of ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’. remarkable turn of events was that outside Paris originally built by was to dismiss Hitler’s genocide of
The French Colonial Empire occupied territory from Gallic the current frontrunner in the opin- Napoleon III for members of his the Jews as ‘a detail of history’, a
North America to West Africa, and from the Middle East culture was ion polls to be the next president of court, to interview one of its modern remark he repeated so often that he
to the South Pacific. At its height in the 1920s and France, Marine Le Pen, and a contin- residents – Jean-Marie Le Pen, father was fined three times for saying it).
1930s, it was second in size only to Britain’s. viewed as gent from the Rassemblement of Marine and then leader of what When I asked M Le Pen whether
By the middle of the 20th century, nationalists in a natural National also showed up, in an was still called the Front National. his party’s reputation for anti-Semi-
Imperial jewels such as Algeria were rising up against apparently seismic rearrangement of M Le Pen had managed to get into tism was not a problem, he did not
the French, and prosecuting ferocious wars of liberation successor the French political landscape. the final round of the 2002 presiden- quite reply that “some of my best
that, after years of bloodshed, ended in victory. to the glory The legislature called the march tial election, a measure of the French friends are Jews”, but his adamant
These are the simple reasons why, in this day and age, ostensibly because of the more-than public’s mounting disillusion with denial that he was an anti-Semite
colonialism has become a very ugly word. that was 1,250 anti-Semitic attacks recorded the mainstream parties. was not far off that.
Many of the monuments to Empire – the buildings and once since October 7: but anyone with the Despite the thrashing he took in Even his daughter, who has sent
the roads – obviously still have real-world usage. slightest grasp of history knows that that contest, which was a landslide her father, now aged 95, to outer
Left-wing groups had a habit of defacing statues of ancient the problem of anti-Semitism in for President Jacques Chirac, darkness and striven to rid her party,
those linked with slavery and the like a few summers Rome France has run through its national M Le Pen remained worthy of note with its new name, of any taint of
ago, and the ‘yellow vests’ (gilets jaunes) anti-govern- life since long before the 20th centu- in the following contest. anti-Semitism, has had difficulties
ment movements desecrated the Arc de Triomphe around the same time, ry, never mind the 21st. in this respect. Not least with her

but such attacks have largely fizzled out. In modern times it starts with the
This is because stone and metal constructions are relatively easy to dis- Dreyfus affair; then, in July 1942, the
connect from an often shameful past. ineradicable scandal of French police
So too were the kind of artefacts that filled the Palais de la Porte Dorée rounding up French Jews that led
in 1931, when the Paris Colonial Exhibition opened there. Ostensibly a to the temporary imprisonment of
chance to show off ‘diverse cultures’, the museum was seen as a means 13,152 of them either in the Winter
of whitewashing the crimes of the colonialists and their so-called “civilising” Velodrome, or Vel d’Hiv in Paris, or
adventures. at the transit camp in the northern
While handmade carpets and frescoes made thousands of miles away suburb of Drancy.
were displayed, there was no mention of the squalid labour camps, prisons Most of those arrested were sent
or military encampments that filled France’s stolen overseas territories. to Auschwitz and were murdered.
The crimes against humanity, including genocides, were certainly never Of the 38,000 who were eventually
showcased and explained. deported by the end of September
You get a chilling sense of the deceit during visits to the Palais de la Porte 1942, a mere 780 were alive in 1945.
Dorée, an Art Deco pile that now contains the Museum of the History of Jacques Chirac finally apologised
Immigration, as well as a tropical aquarium. This follows multiple name for this enormity when he became
changes over the years as – predictably – successive administrations have president; until then, as with rather
attempted to move the institution away from its horrific antecedents. a lot of what happened during the
France’s current president, Emmanuel Macron, has called colonisation in German occupation, the French
Algeria a “crime against humanity” with – crucially – the proviso that we preferred not to talk about it, or to
cannot simply “sweep this past away under the rug”. pretend it had never happened.
Such a comment – made just before Macron came to power in May 2017 – But all through recent decades the
triggered fury among political opponents, especially those on the far right. French Jewish community – which
Members of the Rassemblement National party in particular view French numbers around half a million peo-
Algeria with immense nostalgia. They remain extremely bitter that the ple and, as such, is the largest in
North African country was lost to its indigenous population and have never Europe, and third only to Israel
apologised for the 132 years of colonisation. Nor have any governments. and the United States – has suffered
It is for precisely such reasons that there should be a proper museum prejudice, or outright attacks.
focused on colonialism – one that does not hide behind euphemisms, and There have been many incidents,
publicly presents all the relics from an era when supposedly lesser peoples reported in the press and on televi-
were enslaved, exploited and killed by a self-styled European master race. sion, of Jewish graves in cemeteries
This legacy has not disappeared and it should be exhibited in all its being defiled and damaged.
gruesomeness. The blame was usually apportioned
to the far right – people regarded as
“
The principle of ‘my
enemy’s enemy is my
friend’ is becoming
predominant
M Le Pen had, not least under
the influence of his daughter, been
engaging in various public relations
exercises – or stunts – to show that
his party had changed.
It had been rooted in the mindset
of someone who had been a combat-
ant in the Algerian war in the 1950s
(as M Le Pen had) and it took a pret-
ty dim view of those who were not
français de souche - ethnically French
- though M Le Pen never expressed
whether his preference was for
Franks or Gauls.
Now there were photo opportuni-
ties and videos of M Le Pen with
black people and brown people,
smiling happily as they sought to
obtuse remark in the 2017 election
campaign that France had not been
responsible for the round-up of July
1942, on the grounds that the Vichy
regime “was not France”.
However, with Mme Le Pen now
more anxious than ever to sanitise
the reputation of her party, the prin-
ciple of ‘my enemy’s enemy is my
friend’ is becoming predominant.
She first raised this in the 2012
election campaign, when she said
that the RN and the Jewish people
had a “shared concern about radical
Islam”. Even before the recent outrag-
es had amplified that point of view,
she was urging French Jews not to
emigrate to Israel, saying that the
French state was obliged to protect
its Jewish community against “radi-
cal Islam in problematic areas’”.
It was clear from the November 12
rally that French Jews are now wel-
come in a range of political homes –
with the possible exception of the
far-left La France Insoumise, which
is aggressively pro-Palestinian.
So Mme Le Pen’s warm sentiments
towards them may not necessarily
convert into active support in 2027.
However, the battle against ‘radical
Islam’ in France will remain mainly
rhetorical, and rhetoric is one thing
in which Mme Le Pen excels.

55,000 readers receive The Connexion’s free weekday e-newsletters. Do you? Sign up at connexionfrance.com
 The Connexion December 2023
The women bringing equality to
France’s ‘noble’ building trade
Painter and decorator Cerise
Steiner wants to radically
increase the number of
women workers in the building
trade. She tells Scheenagh
Harrington her plans
THE FRENCH building industry needs
to undergo an equality revolution and be
regarded as a ‘noble’ profession once again,
says the founder of a movement working
to bring more women into the trade.
Marseille-based painter and decorator
Cerise Steiner, 43, is the driving force
behind Les Fabricoleuses, a group that
aims to enhance the profile of the industry.
“If an eight-year-old girl says ‘I’m going
to be a house painter, I’m going to be an
electrician, I’m going to be a plumber’, the
parents’ immediate reaction is ‘no, you’re
going to take your general baccalauréat
exam first and then we’ll see’,” Ms Steiner
told The Connexion.
“We have to stop denigrating this business,
which is noble and praiseworthy.”
Her ultimate goal is to educate tradesmen
about how to work with women and teach
both sexes to work together.
“We’ve been hearing about gender divers-
ity for a few years now,” she said.
“I hope one day we won’t even be talking
about it any more. I’m fighting all the
stereotypes. I don’t care if you’re a man or
a woman. If you do what you love and
have the abilities and skills, let’s go for it.
“There are men who do very well in front
of a computer but would be incapable of
carrying loads like my female painters.”
Women employed by women also have a
90% chance of being paid for their skills,
rather than gender, and face far fewer
instances of harassment, Ms Steiner said.
There are advantages for customers too.
Single women and older clients actively
prefer being offered a choice of either
female or male tradespeople. “Couples
Let’s raise a glass to drinking less wine
by Samantha David
I SEE that the French government is
spending up to €200 million to destroy
wine lakes in the Languedoc and Bordeaux
regions due to over-production. Aside
from the obvious jokes about being willing
to dispose of the problem for a much lower
price, I am kind of not surprised.
Per capita wine consumption in France
in 1960 was a staggering 120 litres a year,
descending steadily to 24.2 litres in 2023.
Of course, some of this is due to the
popularity of other drinks. As well as
cider and craft beers, the market is now
crammed with cocktails, mocktails and
everything in between.
There is also the driving factor: the
French police are increasingly tough on
anyone who tries drink-driving.
It is not news that the younger gener-
ation drinks more moderately than their
parents (red eyes on social media are so
uncool). There might well be other reasons.
Who knows? Speaking for myself, I just
got bored with it. There are so many other
fun things to do. I would sooner do exer-
cise than drink when it comes down to it.
It is not like we have given up complete-
ly in our house. There is still wine in the
connexionfrance.com Comment 15
Vive La Différence
Small things we notice about
life in France By Peter Wyeth
Cerise
Steiner,
National neighbourliness
front row, CHRISTMAS came early this
second year in Indre.
from left, In fact, it came in the high heat
and her of summer, and not just once,
Photo: Tatevosian Yana_shutterstock
team of as with the conventional holiday,
experts but almost every other day.
are out to This feeling of festive benef-
prove that icence was thanks to the
women can neighbours in our hamlet.
do building It has just four full-time resi-
work just dents, another who comes only
as well
Photo: Ulrike Monso
a few times a year, and us – a Gifted fruit and vegetables
as men Parisian-English couple who, in
principle, should alienate as many people as possible.
Yet in this tiny place, more or less in the centre of France if
you put a pin in the map, a basket of goodies would invariably
don’t really care as long as the work is of women DIY enthusiasts. It took, almost await us each time we visited. Courgettes, tomatoes, peppers,
done well,” she said. to the day, nine months to bring the femmes marrows or cucumbers, plums or greengages (reine-claude)
When asked if customers expect a lower bricoleuses into the world.” in various combinations.
rate from women builders, she said it The multi-phase Les Fabricoleuses We have a small garden at the front and at the back, and a
happens occasionally, but added: “The movement combines an inclusive, incubat- decaying plum tree, but no vegetable patch. All our neigh-
main thing is to stop haggling. ing network “like the LinkedIn of women bours have one nearby or in adjoining plots, as there is more
“When you go into a restaurant, you in construction”. In phase two – roll-out land than people in Indre. And as our neighbours mainly live
don’t start asking for a discount on the in 2024 – holistic support, from admin to alone, they produce more than they can eat.
meat or a little bit off the coffee.” legal, sales and wellbeing, will be offered. Even in Paris, there are imaginative attempts to replace
There were signs of change in the build- The coming weeks will also see the urban anonymity with a village atmosphere. Our son has an
ing industry before Les Fabricoleuses. launch of the third phase of the project: allotment just the other side of the périphérique, producing
The French Building Federation the maison des bricoleuses, or DIY house. tomatoes and marrows aplenty and hosting barbecues.
began to promote feminisation in 2006. Located in Marseille and containing Last year, The Connexion ran a feature on Paris resident
“It even launched a campaign about it, three floors, it is a “place of re-use and Patrick Bernard, who founded the Hyper Voisins (Super
which I don’t think went far enough,” said local creation”, Ms Steiner said, featuring a Neighbours) association in 2017, which aims not just to run
Ms Steiner. “Today, just 1.6% of building drop-in centre for integration, retraining social events but to radically change the way local areas
site workers are women. In five years’ time, and post-creation support. There will be operate in the city.
I hope to increase that to 3%.” opportunities for older women too. Here in Indre, other examples of neighbourliness abound. I
The former cultural events manager, who “I set up this project with a strong solid- was spread-eagled under the car doing a minor repair when
had always had an affinity for painting, arity angle,” she said. our neighbour spotted my perilous jack and offered his own
switched careers to land a job on a build- “All these women out of work, for exam- grown-up version, much to my wife’s relief.
ing site on the eve of her 40th birthday. ple, because clothing retailer Camaïeu has On another occasion, having finally got around to rebuilding
An “astonished in a good way” co-worker gone bankrupt or supermarkets are using part of the garden perimeter in an attempt at drystone wall-
planted a seed when he admitted it would automated tills. What are they going to do? ing, but without the cross-stones needed to secure it properly,
be “complicated” to achieve his ambition “Instead of offering them a job as a he offered his almost-new orange concrete mixer so that I
of training a female plumber. cleaner or canteen assistant, I would like to could pour reinforcement between the awkward sandstones.
“The next morning, I woke up with the take them on work experience on building The French are often thought stand-offish, but our modest
idea of bringing together women’s know- sites or via our female network. experience has been quite the opposite, with help, advice,
how,” Ms Steiner said. “If they like it, we can find them training and kilo after kilo of delicious vegetables and fruit offered
“In the beginning, it was just a collective and they can join the building industry.” unreservedly by generous neighbours.
Admittedly, this is the country, and a tiny settlement to
boot, but we have been made to feel incredibly welcome.
I am certain it all began when I painted the front of our
little house in 34C heat last summer, which won respect for
being so English and mad. My wife is not entirely convinced,
thing is, though, I have realised that we but we do share the feeling of being entirely blessed in our
are actually a bit out of step with our hospitable hamlet.
Photo: Dasha Petrenko_shutterstock
British friends and relations.
If you only have a small demi-pêche
 
(beer laced with fruit cordial) once or
 
twice a week, British drinking habits
 
 

come as a shock. They drink so much
 

and so fast, compared to the way people
consume their alcohol in France.
Visiting London, I was amazed at the   
French drinking habits are so very    
size of the drinks served. We went to the
different to those of the British
Christmas market on the South Bank,
rack and fridge. (This is France, after all, which was very festive and fun, and got   
and it would be a sin not to sample the some mulled wine, which came in an 

fruits of the vignerons’ labour.) enormous plastic beaker, practically a
But instead of knocking it back, we share third of a bottle.        
a single bottle around four to five people at And that was the ‘medium’ size. 
     
dinner. We are healthier and wealthier for A friend mentioned exactly the same 
it, not to mention finding that one glass thing the other day. He has family coming   
SIRET 48003796900015
each gives us all the giggles. from Britain for Christmas, and said
Because we are buying less, we are gloomily that he knew they would all
actually buying better wine, and drinking end up drinking too much.
it has become more of an occasion. I can see how it happens. No one wants
We are even starting to notice what we to be considered a spoilsport or a wet
drink, whether we like it or not. Labels blanket. On the other hand, feeling
have been soaked off favoured bottles and obliged to get plastered is not great either.
stuck on to the fridge door. We have been I am stocking up on 0% beers for
to tastings at wineries, distilleries and Christmas, along with wines from the
breweries. As a result, I like to think we Loire Valley, which can have an alcohol www.skyinfrance.co.uk
are more discriminating drinkers. The content of just 8.5%. Cheers!
 16 Letters
Talking point: Is wealth trickled down or frittered away?
by Nick Inman
WHY are the French so reluctant to
let the wealthy be wealthy? Why do
so many of them object to the policies
of trickle-down economics?
There was much griping when
Emmanuel Macron, often accused of
being a president for the rich, abolished
the wealth tax, on the premise that if
the rich can be encouraged to stay in
France, it will benefit us all.
It seems like a no-brainer: someone
has to create the wealth before it can
be shared around the rest of society.
Incentivise those entrepreneurs with
tax breaks and they will invest in
France, creating jobs. And when they
spend their money on goods and ser-
vices, they will create even more jobs.
Make it too difficult, however, and
they will skip off and live in another
country.
The French have been watching the
UK and US experiment with trickle-
down theory since the 1980s, and many
of them (not just on the left of politics)
remain sceptical.
It is worth considering for a moment
why this should be. It is not just resent-
ment or jealousy of the rich but some
They said it …
Time is expanding. We’ve never
done so many things in one day
since the dawn of humanity
Jean Viard
Sociologist on the modern world’s relationship with time, on France Info
Few countries give such pride
of place to their language
Amin Maalouf
Author and perpetual secretary of the Académie française, in Le Figaro
Stress had been building
up inside me for years
and France saved my life
Jonny Wilkinson
English rugby star on his five years playing for Toulon, on C à vous
Can a nation subsist when
allegiances are determined by
content consumed on smartphones?
Natacha Polony
French journalist on the tribalism of social networks, in Marianne
Jean-Luc Mélenchon would like to
look like Lenin, but he ends up
looking like Donald Trump
Gérald Bronner
Sociologist on the leftwing politician and NUPES leader
refusing to call Hamas a terrorist organisation, in Le Point
The French don’t
even like themselves
Ridley Scott
Director responds curtly to criticism from the
French press of his new film about Napoleon
It is not the President of the
Republic’s place to go to a march
Emmanuel Macron
President responds to criticism for not attending
a march against anti-semitism in November
connexionfrance.com
Photo: Travel-Fr_shutterstock
A superyacht in the Port of Antibes
very Gallic objections. For a start,
trickle-down has not been proven to
work beyond all doubt. The presence
of millionaires in a society does not
guarantee there will be no food banks,
sink estates or in-work poverty.
Rich people do not necessarily spend
their money on things that create
secure, well-paid jobs and their largesse
does not reach to all people and parts
of the country.
The disabled and disadvantaged will
Priorité à droite
I WRITE following your online
article on the history of priorité
à droite and its characterisation
by one of your readers as a
“dangerous practice”.
Priorité à droite is far from
that, being designed to slow
down traffic to avoid road users
being placed in danger. Any
danger that arises does so from
people driving in a manner that
ignores the law, by not slowing
down in anticipation of other
road users joining from the
right, as they are entitled to do.
The Code de la route enshrines
landmarkmedia_shutterstock
priorité à droite in law but with
an obligation to drive in a
manner that anticipates others
not driving carefully enough to
avoid collisions. So even though
a driver has priority to enter
from the right, they must
approach a junction in expect-
ation that a car already on the
road does not give way. All in
all, very sensible advice.
Peter HARRIES, Nièvre
Dans le passé – 10, 50 and 100 years ago
DECEMBER, 2013
Artificial heart transplant first
ON DECEMBER 18, a 75-year-old
Frenchman became the first in the world
to be fitted with a revolutionary artificial
heart in a 10-hour operation at Georges
Pompidou Hospital in Paris.
Until then, artificial hearts were
designed to be temporary until a donor
could be found, and beat at an unchang-
DFree_shutterstock
ing rate. The model developed by French
firm Carmat, however, boasted a five-
year life and claimed to be the first to
fully replicate the self-regulated contrac-
tions of a real heart, theoretically giving
recipients a better chance of resuming
normal life. Further testing was paused
when the patient died in March 2014
due to an electronic component failure,
10 weeks after receiving it. It obtained
European CE certification in 2020.
The Connexion December 2023
perceive no benefit at all from letting abroad because he does not want to
Ferry fares
ONE advantage of living close to
the jet set play. pay for all this stuff through taxes Calais is the ability to pop over
Allowed to keep their money through must despise the values of the Republic, for British goods or fish and
advantageous tax arrangements, the say the French. chips in a day.
rich can spend it on stuff that brings Should politicians really pander to Before one crisis or another,
no benefit to anyone (arms, drugs, vice) his or her every caprice if that is their there were cheap day return ferry
or is made in another country (planes, attitude to solidarity? fares available to Dover, but
yachts, other luxury goods), or hoard it Trickle-down assumes there are two recently I have discovered they
all in banks. kinds of people: the tiny minority with no longer exist – only three-day
They also create their share of prob- far too much – more than they could or full-price tickets.
lems. Their luxury lifestyle can be ever need – who should be allowed to In the last few weeks, I have
highly polluting, and property specul- do what they want; and the vast major- noticed more and more English
ation can mean that ordinary people ity with not enough, who are unable to customers in the Calais super-
cannot afford housing in their own make any satisfactory lifestyle choices. markets stocking up on wine and
areas. As a result, communities die. It also puts the profit motive above all cheese. I asked one couple how
Wealth can be a precondition of other values, and that offends the com- they had got over and, to my
altruism or selfishness. The one is to munitarian French. surprise, they told me about a
be encouraged but the latter is not to If having money is to be treated as a £39 day ticket from DFDS.
be indulged. virtue, so too must having an attitude On checking the tariff for the
What the average-thinking French of service and self-sacrifice. Calais to Dover direction, how-
person will tell you is that irresponsible Maybe we do need the wealthy to ever, the same day return would
affluence goes against the values that throw their cash around, but we also be no less than four times dearer.
hold civilisation together. need teachers, nurses and carers to do I emailed DFDS and they final-
Much of what makes modern life live- their jobs, knowing that what they ly admitted I could only travel in
able stems not from competition and give and get back cannot be measured that direction if I was prepared
high-flying but sharing. in euros. to pay 75% more, by buying two
Law and order, education, health, single tickets.
transport infrastructure, the adminis- Do you agree or disagree with Irish Ferries are following the
tration of cities – these are not items of Nick Inman? Tell us why at same policy. By choosing the
consumer choice but common goods. news@connexionfrance.com right day and juggling off-peak
Any billionaire who threatens to move sailings at unattractive times, it
is just about possible to obtain
Language supremacy a few lower fares from P&O,
which could possibly make a day
trip viable, but well short of the
DANIEL DE POLI’S tongue must have been practically poking day offer from other firms.
through his cheek when he wrote his letter on “Anglo Saxon propa- To sum up, cheap day returns
ganda” claiming language supremacy (Connexion, November).
Virtually all business, economics, science, medical and engineer-
from France are pas disponible
but in the other direction it is
ing communications circulate throughout the world in English, most definitely ‘welcome
including to and from China and India (where it is one of its two aboard!’. What is going on?
official languages). Most higher-education teaching in the world is Malcolm GALE,
now in English. International organisations such as the UN General Pas-de-Calais
Assembly or the International Court of Justice in the Hague con-
duct their public affairs primarily in English. Nato’s Jens Stoltenberg Editor’s note: DFDS said its day
and Europe’s Ursula von der Leyen usually use it, and admirably so, trip offer is to encourage people to
to communicate to the world. travel and spend in the duty-free
By current definition, you can have only one lingua franca at a shops onboard and ashore at
time, whereas the writer appears to think there are several. Let us Calais and Dunkirk.
just say that English predominates wherever the focus is on trying It is currently only available
to get things done. In contrast, French is more drawn out, flowery, from the UK because customers
aspirational, and perfectly suited, for instance, to diplomacy requir- have a larger duty-free allowance
ing finely-crafted waffle (langue de bois), haute cuisine, ballet for entry into the UK than those
lessons, and ditto a couple of other fields. On the strength of his travelling back into France.
self-serving arguments, Mr de Poli predicts a “bright future” for the “The duty-free spend offsets the
French language. He should not hold his breath! lower ticket revenues generated
Geoff STAINES, Paris from providing a £39 fare,” it said.
DANIEL DE POLI’S letter was hilariously inaccurate – Ireland and
Customers travelling from
France can still take advantage of
Malta, both EU, have English as an official language. And whether three-day and five-day short
he likes it or not, English is the international language for business.
David PERRY, by email
break fares, which offer a saving
on the standard return fare.
DECEMBER, 1973 DECEMBER, 1923
Abaca Press / Alamy
UFO ‘religion’ born Dixmude airship disaster
AN ALLEGED alien ONE of history’s worst airship disasters
encounter on December 13 took place on December 21 when a
inspired former French German Zeppelin given to the French
pop star-turned-sports car Navy as part of war reparations exploded
journalist Claude Vorilhon, pictured, to in mid-air off the coast of Sicily, killing
change career yet again by founding a
new religion called Raëlism.
all 52 people (42 crew and 10 passengers)
on board.
The name was taken from the moniker At the time of the accident, the Dixmude
Vorilhon himself assumed after his UFO held world records for distance and flight
meeting – Raël. He claimed, in a book duration. An inquiry later concluded that
called Le Livre qui dit la vérité, to have it had been struck by lightning 2,000
been expressly chosen by an extraterres- metres above the Mediterranean near
trial species known as the Elohim to where fishermen had seen two ‘burning
reveal that humanity had been created globes’ fall into the sea. Two bodies were
using their advanced technology, and to
prepare for their return. Today, Raëlism
eventually recovered – its commander and
a radioman – along with parts of the ship’s
claims tens of thousands of members but cabin and a burned French tricolor.
has faced strong criticism from journal- No other wreckage or trace of the other
ists, ex-followers and anti-cultists. passengers was found.
 The Connexion December 2023
The Connexion letters pages are
sponsored by
Peanut butter is not just for Americans
I DO NOT often feel a need to
comment, but when it comes
to peanut butter (‘Sales soar
as US expats look for taste of
home’, Connexion, November)
I cannot hold back.
I agree that Americans love
the stuff and probably consume
more than anyone on the planet
– but that is only because there
are a lot of them in a very large
country that grows peanuts.
The Dutch probably consume
as much per head of popula-
tion, and especially love a pea-
nut spread called pindakaas.
They were probably the first
to start importing peanuts in
Europe and several very large
companies have seen huge
successes from this, feeding
the Dutch appetite for not
only peanut butter but also
satay sauce.
Being Dutch myself, I need
my peanut butter and have
Linky meters
missing a trick
I AM very happy with my Linky
and the supporting apps.
However, I am curious why
there are not more benefits
available to consumers?
For example, could not the
hours for heures creuses and
heures pleines be more flexible,
and be defined by the user
online within certain guidelines?
If each Linky meter was pro-
grammed to allow for three
periods of heures creuses during
each day, say for a total per day
of seven or eight hours, would
that not allow for more effi-
ciency and thereby benefit both
the user and the energy
demands on the system?
Also, it could be a fine selling
point for those still reluctant to
install these meters.
Mike MENNING, by email
You said it …
Unregistered ‘faith healer’
banked up to €40k/month
“I guess in our turbulent
times some people turn
towards alternative therapies
and away from the rather
harsh, conservative health-
care. Maybe they just need
to talk and feel understood. I
am sure they listen and that is
rare these days” AH
“Judging from the four or five
daily unwanted phonecalls we
get from a local ‘psychic’, I sus-
pect many more people like this
are making a bomb from super-
stition and irrational beliefs. In
fact, my spirit guide tells me that
they are not declaring all their
money in their tax return!” AF
connexionfrance.com Letters 17
Strategic financial planning
for your life in France. w w w. b l e v i n s f r a n k s . c o m
Automatic visas for EV fire risks
second-home owners
found that the French simply do As it is not available year- COLIN BURTON (‘Enough EV
not get it. I struggled to find it round, I stock up when I can. scaremongering,’ Connexion,
in our local supermarkets when They typically sell 700g pots November) is correct in saying
I moved here in 2006, so would and the price is below €3. THANKS to the many readers who sent feedback on the Senate’s lithium-ion batteries do not
occasionally bring a jar or two I have also recently found pin- recent approval of an amendment to France’s immigration bill, contain metallic lithium but
back from the Netherlands dakaas being sold in the France which would give British second-home owners an automatic lithium carbide. My error.
when visiting family. Asia shop in Pau for €2.89 for long-stay visa right without any formalities. Here is a selection However, the fact remains
Then US brand Skippy turned 500g – just 10% more expensive (you can find more online by searching the word ‘senate’): that water poured on to a
up on the shelves. It is very than the Netherlands. cracked lithium-ion battery
expensive, as your article It is made by PCD – I WAS absolutely staggered to see that of the list of 50 senators reacts vigorously and exotherm-
points out, but also about as Swartberg, who have been who gave their support to one of the three amendments tabled for ically, and each EV carries
‘peanut’ as American chocolate making the stuff since 1905 debate, not one was from the Dordogne, the department with one about half a tonne of them.
is chocolate. and are Dutch. of the highest proportion of British second-home owners in France. My letter (‘EVs on ferries,’
It is sweet, oily and just tastes They supply private label I find it more than surprising that there is currently no endorse- Connexion, October) was not
‘modified’. Not for me. The branded products, so you often ment of any long-stay visa solution from either Marie-Claude to take sides in any gas-guzzlers
French Menguy product is very find it being sold under differ- Varaillas, Sénatrice de la Dordogne or Serge Mérillou, Sénateur versus tree-huggers debate.
similar, with no real texture. ent names, but it is the same de la Dordogne [both Socialists]. This is despite their constituents We have had 100 years to
Lidl occasionally sells stuff inside. being some of the poorest in France and the economic benefits of learn how to deal with petrol-
McEnnedy ‘American Way’ The Dutch peanut butter longer visits by non-EU second-home owners being significant. eum fires, and precious little
peanut butter in both smooth snob would, of course, prefer Don’t they care about the economic well-being of their communi- time to learn how to deal with
and crunchy varieties. It is a bit Calvé pindakaas. You can buy ties? A few months ago, I wrote to both these representatives but did this new chemistry. My plea is
browner, less sweet, more ‘pea- it in 1,000g jars – with the not even get so much as an acknowledgement from them. for an urgent, thorough risk
nut’ and has a wonderful tex- same plastic lid as PCD. Russell HALL, Dordogne assessment regarding EVs on
ture. In fact, it tastes much like Can you tell I am obsessed? ferries, by a competent author-
Dutch peanut butter, not at all Jan ZUIDHOF, IT IS not just humans who have suffered since Brexit. An Animal ity that does not have a vested
‘American Way’ – thankfully. Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Health Certificate to allow a UK resident to take their cat/dog to interest in the outcome.
France on holiday with them now costs £205 every time. Given that some ferry comp-
Share Let off steam or share a point
of view on an aspect of French life What is more, the certificate only lasts for four months so even anies, such as Norwegian firm
your Email: letters@connexionfrance.com or write to:
The Connexion, Le Grande Bretagne,
if visa requirements are relaxed for second-home owners, as has
been proposed, I and other pet owners will still not be able to stay
Havila Kystruten, turn away
EVs, and airlines impose strict
views! 30Please
av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco
include your name and department of France
in France for more than four months.
I am seriously thinking about selling my property in France, as
limits on lithium-ion batteries,
I am not the only person who
or country where you live. Letters used may be edited are many expat friends. Wake up, France! Do you want the British thinks there is a degree of risk.
for space and sense; the Editor’s decision is final. to keep spending at restaurants, retail parks, tourist venues, and I know that car fires are very
Letters received may be used online and/or in print.
paying taxes here, or not? infrequent, but you can walk
Amazon delivery problems Carol HOLLOWAY, by email away from one on land and let
it burn out. Not on a ferry.
HAVING lived in France for they cannot find my house. WHILE I wholeheartedly agree with the proposal, I fail to see Martin SCOTCHMER, by email
some 22 years, I have become a One admitted he did not know what the French government is doing to help people who have
great fan of buying online via how to use GPS. moved here recently and on a permanent basis. Difficult words
Amazon.fr. In the past, I have If I manage to contact There is so much red tape and huge waits when applying for I READ your online article
found it competitive on price Amazon France (not always visas to live here. And they want to put us through that process about difficult English words
and its customer service second easy) I am told I will be sent every year and charge us each time for the privilege! When we are for French people with interest.
to none. another order. My most recent here permanently and contributing to the country, why are they One word I find impossible
Recently, however, it seems to one did not arrive and I was not doing more for us? It seems a little unfair, don’t you think? to pronounce is bouilloire
have made some grave errors told to chase up the delivery Lisa PALMER, by email (kettle). You have to change the
in its delivery choices, using a company. I have still not shape of your mouth halfway
company called Colis Privé. received a refund. I FULLY understand that the focus of these negotiations and and I fail every time
From what I can make out, As an experiment, I ordered amendments has been on Britons who own property in France. Conversely, my French friend
Colis Privé uses just about any- from Amazon.co.uk and However, there are other nationalities as well. We are American. who visits English church with
one who can drive to deliver Amazon.de. Both packages We have owned a second home in France for over 20 years. I me sees words coming up and
orders, whether they know the arrived promptly and without would think that Americans could be placed in the same category points to them in horror. They
area or not. Several of my drama. Needless to say, I will as Britons. We contribute a lot to the economy as well when we include ‘faithlessness’ and
orders have not been delivered. not be using Amazon.fr again. are in residence. ‘thoughtlessness’. Tant pis!
The Colis Privé drivers state Tony HILLYARD, Manche Charles CAMPBELL, by email Sheila BRITTEN, by email
You can debate and comment on articles via our Facebook Government should do more to
page: facebook.com/TheConnexion. Here is a selection of
recent popular subjects... You can find the original
articles at connexionfrance.com
tackle scourge of mosquitoes
FRANCE has been putting out sometimes by tiger mosquitoes.
Smartphone can cut inoperative or leaking sewage, “Many such structures were
warnings to be careful about I recognise them by the stripes
energy bills by 25%, says how will they properly moni- painted to disguise their true
being bitten by mosquitoes, when I have killed them.
French tech expert tor this new system, which is role, so it is in keeping with
especially tiger mosquitoes, I have even been bitten in bed
“Our total consumption for by no means as problem-free what would have been in place
which carry diseases dangerous by mosquitoes that have some-
a year is just over 4,000kwh, as it might seem” AF in 1944” MM
to human health and life. how managed to get into the
costing about €750 with no “What about mosquitoes?” NM I live close to the Gironde house, despite keeping windows
‘smart’ devices but hot water “We have the system. It’s been Petanque refs threaten estuary in a beautifully peaceful tightly shut even during heat-
tank set on HC every other four years, and no problems. to boycott French contest area. Here, it is normal practice waves.
night. Pretty sure I couldn’t It just takes up space” LGW over drunk players to spray the marshes by helicop- I am not the only one affect-
save 25% regardless what I ter to keep down the number of ed, or complaining. My neigh-
“Not to mention falling over at
splurged on ‘smart’ equiva- mosquitoes of all species. bours and friends are too.
the slightest thing and writhing
lents!” PG Row after association This year, however, eco What is the point of warnings
in fake agony” PG
“Don’t think my mobile will load makes Normandy war warriors got at the regional if nothing is being done to stop
wood into my logburner!” DS bunker look like a house government and spraying has the spread and protect people
Tour de France 2024 subsequently been stopped. who live in rural areas close to
“Quite right to make a fuss. route revealed
Reed bed sewage system Such buildings are now rare The consequences are that standing water?
can replace septic tank and historical monuments.Why “Now renamed: ‘Tour of parts every time I go outside there You can bet that if the Seine
“As the government has yet should some idiot just decorate of France’” MJ are swarms of mosquitoes that was full of them, something
to complete inspection of all them according to a misplaced “‘Tour of the same parts of immediately attack. would be done.
septic tanks and with so many personal taste?” AF France’” RG I cannot use my pool or sit in Nick MURTON-DOUGLAS,
the garden without being bitten, by email
 18 Your Questions connexionfrance.com The The
Connexion
Connexion
December
Xxxx 2020
2023

Q& A What can I expect from my

Readers’
questions
answered first-ever mammogram?
Send your queries about life here to Liv Rowland I RECENTLY turned 50 and have received a
letter telling me I need a mammogram. Why
by email to questions@connexionfrance.com is this, and what can I expect? G.R.

Are acupuncture visits reimbursed? MAMMOGRAMS are X-rays that are used to detect

Photo: Peakstock _shutterstock

IS acupuncture (and other alternative
therapies) reimbursed in France and, if
so, do I have to see my GP first? E.P.
ALTERNATIVE or complementary thera-
pies, such as acupuncture and chiropractic,
are known in France as pratiques de soins
non conventionnelles.
The health ministry acknowledges that
such therapies can ease some symptoms
without any ill-effects, but it says there is
not enough proof that all are effective.
It also warns that some alternative thera-
pies can even be harmful if used instead
of traditional medication or treatment.
As a result, they are mostly not recognised
as equivalent to conventional treatments
and their costs are not, therefore, always
reimbursed by the state system.
However, there are exceptions.
The ministry recognises acupuncture’s
effectiveness against certain types of
chronic pain and nausea and you can be
state-reimbursed if you have this adminis-
tered by a doctor, dentist or midwife who
has been trained to do this. There is no
state reimbursement if you see an acu-
Do I need a contrôle technique to
puncturist who is not also a medical
professional. You can look for a health
professional with the term acupuncteur at:
annuairesante.ameli.fr. Reimbursement is
on the basis of a consultation fee: for exam-
ple, 70% of a standard €25 GP consultation.
There is no state reimbursement for any
dépassements (additional fees that some
doctors are allowed to charge).
You must be in the usual ‘health path-
way’, meaning you will obtain only a 30%
reimbursement if the doctor is not your
own GP or you were not referred with a
prescription for the sessions from your GP.
If you obtain reimbursement, then top-up
insurance will repay some or all of the rest,
depending on your policy.
Hypnotherapy and homeopathy work in
the same way. However, homeopathic medi-
cines are no longer reimbursed by the state.
Prices charged for therapies vary and
state reimbursement is not always avail-
able. However, some top-up health
insurance policies offer a flat rate amount
per year towards alternative therapies even
where there was no state reimbursement,
so you should check your policy.
abnormalities in breast tissue, particularly cancer.
Eight out of 10 breast cancers occur in women aged
50 and over. That is why France’s national screening
campaign sends letters every two years to women
aged 50-74 to invite them for free mammograms.
Outside those ages, you are not eligible for free
screening, but a doctor can prescribe a mammogram
at any age if they deem it necessary.
Transgender women who have taken feminising
hormones for at least five years, or who are over 50,
should also have mammograms every two years.
If you are not yet menopausal, make an appoint-
ment at your local radiology centre, health clinic or
hospital within 15 days of the start of your period,
when your breasts are generally less sensitive.
On the day of the mammogram, you will be asked
lots of questions, including about your family and
medical history, current treatments, contraception,
the results of your last mammogram if relevant, any
risk of pregnancy and any pain.
After entering the mammography room, the radio
technician (not the radiologist) will ask you to strip
to the waist. Do not wear deodorant, powder, cream
or perfume on your upper body, including under-
arms, on the day of the examination. They can cause
false images which might be mistaken for lesions.
You should also remove any jewellery that could
interfere with the results.
For the X-ray, the radio technician will place your
breast on the mammography plate before a second
plate compresses it. The technician will tell you
when to stop moving and hold your breath while the
images are taken. The machine then rotates to take
Mammograms should be done every two years
The entire procedure takes around 15 minutes. If
you have implants, you must tell the technician, as
they will need to take additional X-ray images.
Mammograms do not feel very pleasant, but they
are not usually painful. Once it is done, you wait
while the images are checked. Depending on the
results, you might have to repeat some of them.
If your test is part of the screening programme,
the images are automatically read a second time
by another radiologist to confirm the results.
In certain situations, an ultrasound is also needed
– for example, if the density of the breasts makes it
difficult to interpret the X-ray correctly.
This scan is not covered by the free campaign. It
costs from €40 and is reimbursed at 70% by social
security, and 30% paid by you or your health top-up.
You will be given your mammogram images to
take home, keep safe, and bring in at your next scan.
Apart from the two-yearly screening programme
(when you should take the letter received in the post
to have the procedure free of charge), mammograms
cost €66.42, with 70% reimbursed by social security.
In this case, you or your top-up health insurer are
responsible for the remaining €19.93.
Breast cancer in men is less common, with fewer

give my car to my granddaughter? an angled image of the breast.

The same steps are repeated for the other breast.
than 1% of cases. Age, family history and rare cond-
itions like Klinefelter syndrome can be risk factors.

I WANT to give my car to my grand-

daughter. What admin is needed and
do we need a contrôle technique? A.C.
IF YOU are the sole owner of the car, then
yes, you can give it to your granddaughter.
If anyone else is named on the registr-
ation certificate, you must obtain their
signed permission. You cannot give away
any vehicle under a long-term lease.
The admin process of giving your car to
someone for free is the same as selling it.
You must ensure your details on the
certificat d’immatriculation are up to date
before handing the car over.
Cars over four years old will need a
contrôle technique (CT) roadworthiness
test from an accredited centre, which
must be dated within the past six months.
If the results say the car needs a second
inspection, it must be carried out within
two months of the initial test.
If it is not done by that deadline, you
must organise another complete CT.
Next, you need a certificate of adminis-
trative status less than 15 days old, which
you can obtain at ants.gouv.fr.
It proves the car has no outstanding loans
linked to it and any fines have been paid.
Make the transfer declaration on the
Ants site by filling in Cerfa n° 15776.
You will also need to provide the date
and time of the transfer, the car’s kilo-
metrage and the new owner’s full address.
You and your granddaughter must fill it
in, and each of you keeps a copy. Note
down the transfer code displayed on the
screen: it is only
valid for 15 days
and will allow
your grand-
daughter to apply
for her registra-
tion certificate.
Fill in the back
of the detachable
coupon on your certificat d’immatriculation,
then turn it over and write: vendu le (sold
on) with the date and time, and sign it. Give
it all to your granddaughter. The coupon
allows her to drive while her certificat
d’immatriculation is being processed.
If you have smartphone and a France
Connect ID, the new government app
Simplimmat automates the entire paper-
work process.
In France, it is important to also remember
the issue of gifts tax, though depending on
the various allowances available and the
value of the car, none might be payable.
If the car is a birthday gift and its value
is ‘reasonable’ compared to the donor’s
income, it is not obligatory to declare it.
Giving a car to a family member is
deemed declarable by your granddaughter
(the tax can be paid by either of you).
If it is worth less than €15,000, she can
do this online using her personal space at
impots.gouv.fr, or she can print out Cerfa
n° 2735 and send this to the tax office.
If the car is worth more than €15,000, she
can make the same declaration, or defer it
until after your death using Cerfa n° 2734.
Find full details at tinyurl.com/462dvx9u.
What can we do about How can I avoid being scammed
noisy new neighbours? selling €2,000 electric bike online?
WE LIVE in a quiet area but our new
I WISH to sell a €2,000 several delivery options
neighbours are really noisy. Is there
electric bike. If I try this (tinyurl.com/bon-sender).
anything we can do? J.Y.
online, how do I avoid Once a purchase is confirmed,
being scammed? G.T. the buyer pays and the money
THE ACTION you can take will depend
is held by the firm while you
on the type of noise, when it happens
THERE are a lot of online send the item. You receive pay-
and where you live.
platforms for selling second- ment once the buyer confirms
Repetitive, intensive sounds in daytime
hand goods in France. receipt and that the item is as
hours can be classed as ‘abnormal neigh-
The most popular are advertised.
bourhood disturbance’.
Leboncoin and eBay and you If they confirm reception
Between sunset and sunrise, noise dis-
should generally be on safe only, you get the money three
turbance is referred to as tapage nocturne
ground with these. days later. If they do not notify
and includes any noises made by a person,
As a seller, your concerns will anything, you get it 10 days
object or animal where the people
be about being paid and making after sending.
responsible are aware but do not take
sure your item is sent safely. The money appears in your
action to stop.
Paris-based firm Leboncoin wallet on the site, from which
In either case, it is advisable to try
advises sellers to contact buyers you can transfer it to your
to speak to the neighbours first about
only via its secure messaging bank account or use it on the
the problem as they might be unaware.
and to use its own payment site. In the event of the buyer
If necessary, you can write and alert
system. It warns to delete email being dissatisfied, the money is
them to the issue. If that does not help,
queries not using @leboncoin.fr, held until the issue is resolved.
you can send a registered-post letter with
@news.leboncoin.fr or eBay asks people to have
receipt slip asking them to stop.
@messagerie.leboncoin.fr. their identify verified to have
Another avenue is to use a conciliateur
Also be wary of emails asking an account and then provides
de justice, a free local mediation service
you to click links relating to a a customer guarantee.
(see tinyurl.com/2ctjh86u). In small
Chronopost delivery, especially You can ask the eBay team to
towns and villages, the mayor might also
if you have not arranged to step in if there are problems.
be able to step in.
send the item this way or if the It uses detection methods to
In extreme cases, you can call the local
email is not clearly related to a identify suspicious bidding
police or gendarmerie or request a legal
recognisable transaction. activity and aims to step in
tribunal.
Leboncoin offers a way to before transactions are final-
The tribunal is free, but you must pay
print off a delivery label and ised. See tinyurl.com/yc4jhf5t.
for a commissaire du justice beforehand.

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 The Connexion December 2023
Make sense of radars and speeding fines
France’s expanding
network of speed
cameras is credited
with reducing road
deaths but most
drivers still loathe
them. We look at how
the related fines work
FRANCE’S first speed camera
was tested as early as 1946,
using technology developed
during World War Two.
It was called the Mesta 100.
However, it took until the
1970s, when road deaths hit a
peak of around 18,000 a year,
for gendarmes to start to
deploy a new generation of
moveable roadside radars.
They started with the Mesta
206, known as the radar
barbecue, because it looked like
a BBQ on a tripod.
Following his re-election in
2002, then-president Jacques
Chirac, who fractured his
spine after skidding on ice in
1978, decided to make reduc-
ing the number of deaths on
the road a national priority.
Annual road deaths by then
had fallen to around 8,000,
following the introduction
of measures such as stricter
drink-drive laws, seat belts
and points-based licences.
President Chirac’s campaign
more than halved that number.
Anyone who drove in France
in the 1990s will remember the
traffic was much faster than it
is today. When the gendarmes
or police were out on the road
with speed traps, flashing
lights from oncoming cars
warned other drivers to
slow down.
The early traffic cameras had
film that had to be physically
removed and processed, but by
the 1990s, digital photography
arrived. In 2003, fully automat-
ed cameras were introduced
for the first time. MPs were
not initially enthusiastic about
them which is perhaps why it
was laid down that warning
signs had to be placed in front
of each one, usually one kilo-
metre ahead.
These signals now cover
longer stretches of road, warn-
ing of speed cameras over
stretches of 15km or so.
Around 50,000 acts of vand-
alism against speed cameras
were recorded over the past 10
years and an estimated 60%
were badly damaged or com-
pletely destroyed during the
gilets jaunes protests of 2018.
That same year, a survey
revealed that most (75%)
French people believe speed
cameras are there just to make
money for the government.
This perception is not helped
by the fact that when a fine
arrives in the post, it is in an
envelope from the Finance
Ministry and not from the
police or gendarmes.
Inside are several forms,
along with the fine itself and
a green avis de contravention,
which gives details of the
Our main image
was drawn for
The Connexion by of the blue form to
artist Perry Taylor. give the driver’s
For more of
his work visit
perrytaylor.fr
offence, with the speed regis-
tered and the legal limit.
The date and time of the
offence are also listed, along-
side the location and the type
of speed camera.
Apart from the ‘fixed’ kind,
these include ‘moveable’ cam-
eras that can be installed on
the roadside or ‘mobile’ hand-
held ones. However, increasing
use is now also being made of
cameras installed inside police
cars, as well as in voitures radar
– unmarked cars driven by
civilians. When they flash you,
connexionfrance.com
the details download directly
to the national traffic offence
processing centre in Rennes, in
Ille-et-Vilaine.
While these onboard cameras
were being developed, rumours
spread that fines were being
recorded by a green Renault
Espace – and drivers of green
Renaults complained of being
given rude gestures.
The avis also gives details of
the number of points you lose
off your licence*. French
licences usually start with 12
points and they are deducted
for offences – for 95km/h in
an 80km/h zone, you lose one.
In theory, holders of foreign
licences should swap to a
French licence so the points
can be deducted.
A blue document in the enve-
lope is used to contest the fine,
called a formulaire de requête en
exoné­ration. The first part is to
use if the car flashed has been
stolen, or if you had it scrapped
before the offence. You give
details, inclu­ding police reports
of the theft or a receipt from the
scrapyard, and that should be
that. If you were not
driving at the time,
you can also use part
details and a new fine
will be issued with
their name on it.
Then there is a
third part to use if
you contest the fine for other
reasons – such as getting a
woman in labour to hospital or
if you have proof that the
speed camera is wrong.
In that case, send the form
back with an explanation of
why you should not be fined
on a separate piece of paper.
You must nonetheless pay the
fixed amende forfaitaire fine
(€68 in the case of the 95km/h
in an 80km/h zone) and the
case goes to court. If you win,
you will be repaid.
The envelope also contains a
Practical 19
John Kitching, a
director of French Law
Consultancy Limited,
answers a reader query
How can I pay lower CGT social charges?
Q: MY HUSBAND died a few the retained funds to you.
years ago. I sold our French I have obtained these using
house early this year. As I am a the CA8421 (tinyurl.com/
UK resident, the no­taire asked hmrc-cert) which you can
for a certificate confirming my submit online via Govern-
affiliation to UK social security ment Gateway (usually
or otherwise he had to hold fastest) or print and post to
money back. I wrote to HMRC PT Operations North East
with no reply. What can I do? England, HM Revenue and
Customs, BX9 1AN.
A: This is a familiar issue In a covering letter (or
when selling a French the online form), I suggest
pro­perty unless it was held you quote your NI number,
solely by the deceased and say you sold your French
sold at the same time as holiday home on date X
dealing with their estate. and the French notary
UK residents selling a needs the certificate to
home can benefit from a confirm you were affiliated
low French social charge to UK social security for
rate on any taxable capital the UK tax year of the sale,
gains if they provide an according to conditions in
HMRC certificate confirm- art. SSC 10.3 (c) of the EU/
ing they are not affiliated UK Trade and Cooperation
Image: perrytaylor.fr
to French social security. Agreement. Say no other
While waiting for it, the member state’s social
notaire retains money security legislation applied
equi­valent to the differ- in that tax year and you
ence between applying the are still resident in the UK
notice de paiement about how social charges at the low or and still liable to the UK for
to pay. This can be by a card at standard rates, but usually social security purposes.
amendes.gouv.fr, by phone, at a releases the rest of the sale The form is not ideally
tax office, or at certain tabac proceeds minus any tax worded. I suggest putting
shops where you can pay with and social charges to you. the sale date in boxes
cash up to €300 or a bank card. Once the certificate arr- about start dates, and your
You can also pay by cheque ives, he or she will release explanation where you can.
in an envelope provided.
Call +44 (0) 16 63 74 54 88 for a free initial consultation.
If you pay within 15 days
of when the avis was issued frenchlawconsultancy.com
(usually about a week after the
offence), you pay less: €45 for
most fines, as opposed to €68.
If you have not paid within
45 days of the date, and have
Question from
not sent in the form to contest
the fine, it goes up to €180.
a second-home
The authorities apply certain owner...
technical error margins to all
speeding picked up by cameras,
meaning they take off a few
km/h from the speed recorded Owning a second home in France
before seeing if a penalty Photo: Shutterstock.com_E. Spek
applies. In zones under Are we required to have our chimney swept?
100km/h, this is 5km/h; above Q: WE PLAN to come to our second home for Christmas but
this 5%. These are doubled in have not had the chimney swept this year. What are the
the case of private radar cars. rules about this and what is the best way to get it done?
Thanks to data exchange
agreements, drivers from 20 A: THE RULES about sweeping chimneys serving wood
countries, including Ireland, and pellet heating systems and traditional fireplaces
caught speeding in France will changed this year. Previously, the regulations were set by
have fines posted to them. a prefectural or local council decree and could vary
You can find the full list at around the country.
tinyurl.com/2wean9fd. From October 1, the frequency is laid down in decree
Automatic cameras could be n° 2023-641 and requires the owner or tenant of a proper-
used to catch people not wear- ty to have the flue swept at least every 12 months by a
ing seatbelts or using phones, qualified professional. For collective systems in flats, the
and car-sharing lane violations. management syndic is responsible for organising this.
Another recent innovation is
radars capable of discriminat- A professional ramoneur (sweep) must hold a diploma rec-
ognised by the local chamber of trade. You can find one
ing between cars and lorries, to
fine lorries for going over their near you at tinyurl.com/33k6e2bx. Expect to pay around
(often lower) limits. €70-€90. The decree also obliges homeowners to be given
A few hundred radars information about the proper use and maintenance of sol-
tronçons, meanwhile, check id-fuel burning appliances to reduce fine particle emissions.
average speed over a few kilo- Sweeping your chimney is essential for keeping your stove
metres, so you must take care not only efficient but also as safe as possible. Dirty or badly
if there is one in your area. kept chimneys are the main cause of chimney fires.
The decree does not specify dates for sweepings and more
* From January 1, drivers in
than once a year is recommended (but not obligatory),
France will cease to face a
points deduction for going up including at least once when the heating system is in use.
to 5km/h above the speed limit You must obtain a certificate for the work and retain it. This
– but fines will remain. is proof the chimney has been swept and can be required
This will cancel out the by your insurer if you need to make a claim over a fire.
requirement for foreign licence- You can, in theory, be fined up to €450 for not getting your
holders living in France to chimney swept.
exchange to a French licence.
 20 Language / Finance connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

Vous? Tu? Correct form of There’s more to festive

address still causes angst
by Nick Inman
I NEVER cease to be surprised
vocab than Joyeux Noël
C’EST COMME ÇA
Curiosities of the French language
by Annaliza Davis
need to change things between
them, they get into a short con-
versation which starts: On peut

at the number of conversations
I overhear between French
people about the difference
between vous and tu – the
formal and informal ways of
saying ‘you’.
We do not have this problem
in English because we lost ‘thee’
and ‘thou’ around the time
America replaced Britain as the
Photo: MilanMarkovic78_shutterstock
se tutoyer? (‘Can we call each
other tu?’). Or: On se tutoie ou
on se vouvoie?
It is a reasonable request but
it is very occasionally risky as
it puts the other person in a
potentially difficult situation.
If he or she wants to preserve
distance or rank – if they are THIS is such a wonderful 05:00 on the 25th is probably
your boss or the Minister of time of year, but one in which not much better.

major speaker of the language.
English likes to simplify
things. Why have two words
for ‘you’ when one will do?
Vous sends a message that the
other person is not one of your
mates and that some respect
and deference is required, but
to me it always feels cold and
Finance, for example – they
might not wish to switch from
vous to tu. Saying as much,
however, will sound haughty.
It is rare to hear anyone say
non, je préfère qu’on me vouvoie
(‘I prefer to be called vous’) or
je suis plus à l’aise avec le vou-
voiement, but it does happen.
Photo: fizkes_shutterstock
misunderstandings are rife
when speaking with French
neighbours.
Most of us have got to grips
with Joyeux Noël, so wishing
Knowing whether to tutoyer a boss can be tricky to gauge someone a Merry Christmas is
done something wrong.’ darity. The Revolution briefly straightforward, until you are
As a foreigner, I grant myself banned the use of vous, All confronted with Bonnes Fêtes!.
exemption and almost every- trade union comrades are tu. In You might already know that
You might also be asked Où
passez-vous la Saint-Sylvestre?
This is a shortened version of
le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre.
The official feast day of 4th-
century pope Saint Sylvester is
December 31, so really this per-
son is asking: ‘What are your
plans for New Year’s Eve?’

“
I talk to everyone
as tu unless I am
applying for a
driving licence
or complaining
in a shop
unfriendly. Still, to master
French, it is important to know
how vous/tu works. In theory,
everyone in the universe is a
vous to me unless I unilaterally
decide otherwise or agree a
change of status with the
other person.
When French people feel a
Most times, however, the
other person will almost
audibly breathe a sigh of relief
and say ‘of course’. Secretly,
that is what they wanted too,
but they felt awkward being
the first to say anything.
Now, this negotiation of
different ‘younesses’ creates
a problem – as you will have
worked out. Each French person
lives in their own world di-
vided up into vous-people and
tu-people and is expected to
remember the difference.
Sometimes, they have to stop
and reflect: ‘Did I agree with
this particular person to use tu
or are we still vous?’
And then they think through
the consequences: ‘If we didn’t
agree it and I do it, they will be
offended. However, if we did
agree it and I talk to them as
vous, they will think they have
one I meet gives me the same.
I am outside the standard
pecking order and talking to
me is a little like talking to a world to an end.
child who has not quite figured
out how big society works.
I talk to everyone as tu unless versation might tell the group
I am applying for a driving
licence or complaining in a
shop. No one yet has socially
snubbed me because I called
them tu on our first meeting
when it was clearly the wrong
thing to do.
And so we come back to
that conversation between
two French people who have
welcomed each other into their
‘tutoyering’ orbits.
This is the occasion for a
discussion about the rules that
do not exist and everyone is
welcome to join in.
Someone, for instance, might
declare their socialist soli-
1968, everyone on the streets faire la fête is ‘to have a party
called each other tu by default, or celebrate’, but in December
hoping to bring the old stuffy bonnes fêtes is bandied around
whether you are planning an
Vous, however, has never gone event or not.
away. Someone else in the con- It is rather like the American
‘Happy Holidays’, a wish that
they have always called their
parents vous, which sounds
you will enjoy all your festive
celebrations.
positively Victorian to me. Next up, be prepared for
Then everyone in the room questions about your plans
will be drawn into a debate for le réveillon (ray-vay-yon),
about whether or not primary which typically relates to New
school children should call Year’s Eve dinner, but can also
their teachers tu, which seems refer to Christmas Eve.
to lack respect. Remember that many French
At what age should a fledgling families still have a traditional
French person learn the tu/vous dinner of several courses on
distinction? There seems to be December 24, often followed
general agreement that from by a church service, concluding
college onwards, teachers and with gifts after midnight.
students should call each other This sounds like a recipe for
vous and thereafter every adult disaster for excited children –
interaction must be on the basis giving them toys, then sending
of vous. Have you got that? them to bed! – but waking at
Finally, remember that the
French do not give (donner)
presents, but instead use the
verb offrir.
Consequently, mon père m’a
offert €100 is often misinter-
preted as ‘my father offered
me €100’.
English speakers might
understand from this that
the money was offered but
not accepted.
The phrase actually means
‘my father gave me €100’.
This also explains why, when
a salesperson asks c’est pour
offrir?, they are inquiring if your
purchase is intended as a gift.
If it is, they might even gift-
wrap it for you – and usually do
a far more impressive job than
the rest of us.
However you plan to celebrate
this year, bonnes fêtes to you
and yours.

Tax treaties override local law and leave many confounded

Money Matters
Robert Kent of
Kentingtons explains.
kentingtons.com
WHEN it comes to international tax legislation,
it is easy to feel bewildered.
We often come across people puzzled by what
is assessed and taxed, and where, or who are
struggling to define their residency position.
This is completely understandable. Cross-
border legislation does, and will, conflict,
creating great confusion.
It is good, therefore, that between most countries
in the world there exists international legislation
known as a ‘tax treaty’ or ‘tax convention’.
‘Double taxation treaties’ are agreements
reached between two countries, designed to
avoid situations where people are required to
pay tax twice on the same income, or where
residency might be in contention.
The main point, which it is vital to understand,
is this: tax treaties can, and do, override local law.
Do the UK and US have a double
taxation treaty with France?
The current tax treaty between the UK and
France was signed in London in 2008, coming
into effect in France on January 1, 2010. This
replaced the original treaty signed between the
two countries in 1968.
The fact that there is a treaty means that where,
for example, UK Statutory Residence Test (SRT)
rules might apply, they can be overridden by the
treaty, potentially rendering the SRT rules null.
Where an individual is domiciled and resident
in France, the UK accepts and applies the tax
treaty ruling, not local HMRC rules.
The tax treaty between the US and France
initially came into force on January 1, 1996,
signed in Paris in 1994. There have been two
updates since then, in 2004 and 2009.
I have read many tax treaties relating to France
and the one with the US is significantly more
complicated than any other.
When it comes to tax domicile, it is a bit like
driving a car – best to stick to driving one at a
time. The issue is that, for a US national, this is
not possible, since the US government will not
let you leave the hypothetical US tax car to drive
the French one, insisting on dual reporting and
tax payment, regardless of where your assets and
income are.
This makes life particularly challenging for
US nationals. In recent years, we have seen an
increasing number drop their US nationality to
avoid the spectre of the IRS.
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
(FATCA) and the Report of Foreign Bank and
Financial Accounts (FBAR), state taxes, and exit
taxes make the US difficult. Very specialised
knowledge is required, and not just of the tax
treaty. Getting technical here would be
irresponsible, since I have no experience or
qualification in US tax.
In the UK, however, I have both, so I can cover
the pertinent points.
The UK/France treaty
1. Residency. The Double Tax Treaty states:
“He shall be deemed to be a resident of the
Contracting State in which he has a permanent
home available to him”.
This could be an accommodation that you own
or is (officially) rented.
What is essential is that it is available for your
use and under your complete control, so if the
property is owned by you but is rented out, this
is not deemed a home.
Residency can also be determined by where
you spend ‘most of your time’. Many ancillary
laws (both French and in the tax treaty) refer
to 183 days. However, it is important to
understand that:
n if you spend less than this time in France, but
it is where you have spent ‘most’ of your time,
you will still be considered a resident;
n once you have spent 183 days in France, you
are not deemed resident from the 183rd day, but
from the day of arrival.
There are other, less significant, rules
applicable where the position is less clear and
often down to the nationality of the individual.
However, most people will fall into either the
main home test or the time spent test.
2. Property income
UK rental income, under the terms of the treaty,
is taxed in the UK, as property, under its terms,
is always taxed ‘where it is situated’. It is
assessable in France with a 100% tax credit.
Likewise, French property rental income is
always taxed in France, even if the owner lives
in the UK.
3. Pensions
All pension income that is not military or civil
service is taxable in France. As with property
rental income, it is still declarable but receives
a 100% tax credit in France.
In conclusion, it is impossible to understand
the tax and/or residency position by merely
studying local law. International tax treaties
can, and do, override it.
Not understanding this often creates
significant problems for people who spend their
time between countries or have income and
assets from various cross-border sources.
It means that taking advice from a qualified,
professional source, conversant in international
tax, is vital.
 French living
Food Wine Homes Gardens Interviews Events
Stunning French winter
FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002

gardens to explore
The life of suffragette
Marguerite Durand

YOUR TABLE AWAITS...

A tasty pick of France’s iconic
eateries, from brasseries
to train station gems
Photo: La Cigale
2 Brasseries connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2023

Eat your way around

France in style at a busy
and bustling brasserie
All over the hexagon you will find brasseries serving delicious and affordable traditional
French cuisine. Samantha David picks out some gems and even tries out dining in the dark

A
s we are all deliciously and

Photos: left, Le Cigale, and inset, vr23@lephotographedudimanche

greedily aware, France is
jam-packed with restau-
rants, ranging from the
incredibly simple and cheap
right up to the eye-wateringly formal and
expensive. It is a cut-throat world, how-
ever; restaurants open and close as regu-
larly as sunflowers. But some flourish,
becoming iconic in the process.
The cuisine is queen, of course. Who
would eat in a restaurant with bad food?
But service and decor are also important.
Parisian brasseries are famous for falling
short on the service front, but make up
for it with fabulous decor – fancy plaster-
work, gold paint, large mirrors, brass
accessories, mahogany wood, stained
glass, red plush seating, enormous pot
plants, and elaborate chandeliers throw-
ing soft light over white tablecloths.
The business of Parisian brasseries was
originally to brew beer, but after losing
the Franco-Prussian war in 1871, an
influx of refugees from Alsace arrived in
Paris, bringing their love of beer and sau-
erkraut with them. Brasseries began to be
transformed; their premises grew in size,
with owners often commissioning stun- and dark wooden tables. In the past the Above: The beautifully children’s menu (fish fingers or crispy where you can wait for your train in
ningly ornate, Belle Epoque buildings. opening hours were limited, and the decorated Le Cigale fried chicken with pasta followed by ice classic, gold-leafed comfort just for the
The cuisine became as important as the waiters were paid solely on a commission brasserie in Nantes; cream) is perfect. To eat there you need price of a drink.
beer, and gradually many of them ceased basis. They had to ‘buy’ the dishes from inset, the beautiful to buy a ticket to the museum, but this is Leave Paris, and you can explore hon-
brewing completely. the kitchen, serve them, and ensure the dining toom at Le no bad thing. (Say hello to that children’s ourable brasserie outposts in France’s
Compared to bistros, cafés, and restau- bill was paid. If it was not, they had to Train Bleue in the favourite, the polar bear sculpture by other big cities. Lyon, of course, is famous
rants, brasseries are large; they are full of absorb the cost. It meant that the waiters Gare de Lyon in Paris François Pompon). for its posh restaurants, and you can
joyful noise, are open all day, and offer a rushed people through their meals, liter- The Musée D’Orsay website has a long spend as much as you like on a gastro-
long menu composed of traditional dish- ally running from table to table, never list of people who benefit from free nomic menu in any one of its Michelin-
es such as soupe à l'oignon, steak au wasting a minute. entrance. It is also free for everyone on starred temples to fine cuisine. But there
poivre, and coq au vin. You can have Nowadays they are salaried and the the first Sunday of the month. Also, a is also the delightful Brasserie Georges.
breakfast, lunch or dinner there, or pace is merely brisk; they no longer good tip is that the restaurant becomes Founded in 1836 by Georges Hoffherr
stop for morning coffee, after- object to you lingering over a salon de thé at 3pm, so you can drink from Alsace, as well as being a brewery
noon tea or an early coffee. Reserving is not a coffee for €3.30 in order to luxuriate it specialises in choucroute. The decor is
evening drink. possible, however, and in the decor (if you can resist the cakes, wonderful, and the staff genial, although
Some of the oldest queues form at mid- of course). hurried. (Do not dare to dilly-dally when
brasseries retain their day and 7.30pm, but Another address worth remembering is ordering your food!)

extraordinarily
beautiful dining
rooms, providing
the perfect excuse
to explore legend-
ary Parisian institu-
tions like Le Grand
Colbert, Brasserie
Floderer, Bouillon
Racine, Bofinger, and the
Café du Commerce. It would
be sinful not to patronise these glo-
rious palaces constructed in honour of
French cuisine. Here are a few personal
favourites to inspire you.
One of the best known is Bouillon
Chartier in Paris. Opened in 1896, it is
one of the cheapest places to eat in Paris,
beloved by locals and well as being a firm
fixture on the tourist map. (A bouillon
was originally designed to be a place for
working people to eat at midday). It now
has three branches in the capital, all of
them with brass fittings, glass lampshades
everyone always
gets seated some-
how, especially if
they are prepared
to share a table.
The restaurant is
open and serves food
non-stop from
11.30am to midnight.
The food is resolutely
traditional. Start with prawns
and avocado, herring and potato, or
a hard-boiled egg with mayonnaise. Main
courses include steak, roast chicken, spa-
ghetti bolognaise, and sausages. Do not
expect fine cuisine, just decent food at
knock-down prices in an amazing fin-
de-siècle dining room. Going there really
is an event.
Another great restaurant, and ideal if
you are sightseeing with children in tow,
is the restaurant in the Musée D’Orsay.
The decor is wonderful, adults can
enjoy two courses for €31, and the €10
“
Au Pied de Cochon because it is open 24
hours and serves food at all hours. If you
want oysters washed down with a glass of
champagne at 3am, this is the place to go.
After an all-nighter, this is where you can
buy croissants for €2 and groggily sip
coffee before heading home to bed. If
Some of you can keep your eyes open, you will
certainly appreciate the glittering mirrors,
the most brass-work and fancy wallpaper. It is also
a great place to go for their Beaujolais
iconic and Nouveau party in November.
The main train stations in Paris have
oldest been undergoing redevelopment in recent
years with the additions of modern shop-
brasseries ping malls and food courts, but easily the
most beautiful restaurant of them all is
retain their the celebrated Le Train Bleu at the Gare
de Lyon. If you are feeling flush, they have
extraordinarily a two-course menu voyageur for €49
which they promise they can serve in 45
beautiful minutes. Otherwise, devour a sandwich
on the concourse before exploring their
dining rooms relaxing, luxurious bar-lounge areas
Despite being located behind a railway
station, almost underneath an overpass,
the atmosphere is slightly more up-mar-
ket than a bouillon like Chartier, although
it is far from formal. The dining room,
decorated with photos of celebrities who
have graced their tables, is the largest in
France, and when the rows of red leather-
ette benches and booths are full of enthu-
siastic diners, the noise is impressive.
A favourite venue for birthday parties,
especially on Saturday nights, the live
band plays ‘Happy Birthday’ in a different
style for every table (jazz, swing, blues,
rock, etc).
You will need a reservation for Brasserie
Georges unless you turn up midweek at
around 8.30pm, when you might get a
table as a walk-in. The menu is quite
meat-heavy but also includes fish, and
they have a few vegetarian options. Prices
are mid-level, with a daily special at €18.
They continue to specialise in sauerkraut,
and still brew their own beer on the
December 2023 I French Living
premises, serving a house blonde, brune
and dorée (flavoured with honey).
Moving towards the Atlantic coast,
another venerable and beautiful brasserie
is Le Cigale in Nantes, which was found-
ed in 1895. Open from 7.30pm to half
past midnight daily, you can luxuriate
in the surroundings for the price of a
hot drink, or a glass of wine.
The management say their brasserie is
the most beautiful in the world, and it
would be hard to dispute this ambitious
claim. The walls are covered in stunning
decorative tiles, and the staff take real
pride in their friendly service. (In fact, if
you are pushed for time and they are not
too full, they will not even mind if you
just walk around to look at the jaw-drop-
ping decor). Families go there on Sundays
when they want to push the boat out
by ordering massive platters of seafood
and delicious desserts.
Further south, Toulouse is also a won-
derful city in which to eat out. It has a
huge variety of restaurants to choose
from, but one of the oldest and definitely
one of the most decorative is Le Bibent
on the Place du Capitole.
Too often the restaurants on these
large, formal central squares are over-
priced, stuffy or just plain boring. Le
Bibent, founded in 1843, is none of these
things but you might miss its true glory
if you sit outside. Go in for a cocktail
(they are half price at Happy Hour) or a
coffee in order to appreciate the opulent
19th-century interior. This is reputed to
be the place where three Serbian students
drew up plans which then led to the
assassination of Archduke Franz
Ferdinand in 1914...
Eating à la carte at Le Bibent will not
break the bank, especially if you choose
the daily menu which is €30 for three
courses. This would be a good place to
eat cassoulet or a decent steak and there
are good fish options. But in all honesty,
vegetarians would be better off drinking
in the decor and the ambiance while
enjoying a cocktail before eating some-
where else.
France’s oldest restaurant is reputed to
be La Couronne in Rouen, which proudly
declares that it was founded as a tavern
in 1345, and that customers watched the
torture of Joan of Arc from its windows
in 1431. A dubious pleasure, but note-
worthy celebrities who enjoyed a cooler
and less fatal welcome include everyone
from Salvador Dalí to Grace Kelly. The
list of illustrious names is in fact even
longer than their very long menu.
La Couronne’s website has lots of photos
of their ornate and exotic dining rooms,
along with a whole series of menus
designed for groups. Do not let that put
you off; look closely and you will see that
they can reserve a table for two, and there
are menus starting at €29.
If you have the cash, however, you could
try the ‘Julia Child menu’ for €65. This
was inspired by the famous American
food writer Julia Child, whose gastro-
nomic and culinary adventures started
at La Couronne. The paragraphs in Julia
Child's book My Life in France (which
was turned into the film Julie et Julia
starring Meryl Streep) are printed on
the menu, if you want to read them.
Who knows, you might even be
inspired to embark on your very own
odyssey through French cuisine.
connexionfrance.com
Photo: Alain Rico
Dans Le Noir?
A stork at the centre for
THE dining-in-the-dark concept has
breeding and protection
been around for a while, and all sorts
at Parc de l’Orangerie in
of restaurants have flirted with it. Some
Strasbourg
organise it by making diners wear blind-
folds, but the Dans le Noir? chain really
goes all the way.
They have restaurants throughout
France, including Paris, Toulouse,
Marseille and Strasbourg, and every one
of them is completely and utterly dark.
Not a glimmer, not the slightest ray of
light enters their dining rooms. We went
along to try it out.
You enter the dining room in a line,
holding onto the shoulders of the person
in front of you. The leader is your guide
and server for the night. As you move
through one curtained area after another,
you realise that you really cannot see
a thing.
Our server, Michel le Besnerais, guided
us one by one to our places, and clumsily
feeling our way, we sat down.
"I love this job," says Michel. "I enjoy
the human contact and it has also helped
me to become more confident." He also
works as a secretary for the local rugby
club three days a week. "Four years ago
someone I work with told me about this
restaurant opening, so I applied and was
accepted for an interview. They were
looking for blind people who can move
around a room autonomously, so I passed
that, and here I am four years later with a
CDI." (A CDI is a permanent employ-
ment contract).
Sitting round the table, we still could
not make out the slightest thing. We were
at a table for six (the restaurant has 48
places) and we began introducing our-
selves as our fingers discovered napkins
and cutlery, bowls of bread and carafes
of water. Pouring water into a glass in the
dark is a tricky business.
Michel came back, but we only knew he
was there because he told us that he was
putting plates in front of us. It was very
strange, not knowing what we were about
Above: France's to eat. I stabbed around and got some-
largest brasserie, thing on my fork. It was salty. Then there
Brasserie Georges was something herby, and a milk product.
in Lyon Was it a cream cheese dip? A yoghurt
Intrepid diners and
an entré
entrée at dining-
in-the-dark sensation,
Dans Le Noir?
Brasseries 3
dressing? Then I fished up a lump of
something else, which turned out to be
pickled cauliflower. Eventually, realising
that no-one could see me, I finished off
my starter using bread and fingers.
There is an infrared camera in the
kitchen for security, just in case anyone
should faint or become ill. "Sometimes
people can't deal with it," says Michel.
"Part of our job is to help guests relax, but
if they really can't stand it, we let them go
into another room and eat in the light.
That happens very rarely though."
He says he enjoys giving people a taste
of the life he lives every day. "I was born
sighted, and used to be a florist until I
lost my sight. I am completely blind
now, but I have won the French Archery
Championships for blind people five
times, and I have run marathons in Paris,
New York, Berlin, Chicago, Amsterdam,
La Rochelle, Toulouse, Mont-Saint-
Michel, and in October I ran the mara-
thon in Lyon. My 38th marathon. It's a
great way to travel."
When the second course arrived,
Michel warned us that the plates were hot
but they were nowhere near hot enough
to burn us. Dabbing around with my
fingers, I found fish, a carrot, rice, and
some sort of aubergine sauce. It is an
amazing experience to eat with your
fingers. "Of course it's better," admits
Michel. "But blind people generally
don't do it in front of sighted people!"
He brought us a second glass of wine.
We were all beginning to feel more used
to being in the pitch black, and conversa-
tion was flowing. The room was increas-
ingly noisy, which is apparently quite
common. People in the dark tend to
speak more loudly than normal.
By the dessert, everyone was laughing
as they drank sparkling wine and
explored the variety of sweet goodies on
their plates, and then we left the dining
room as we had arrived, in a line, hand
on the shoulder of the person in front,
and in the pitch dark.
At the de-briefing afterwards, we dis-
covered exactly what we had been eating
(burrata) and drinking, and discussed
the experience of dining Dans le Noir?
Everyone had loved it. "People really
enjoy it," says Michel. "Some of them
come back time after time."
Photos: Dans le noir?
4 Rencontre
‘It is true that you can feel extremely
lonely when you are diagnosed’
Théophile Larcher talks to journalist Alice Devès,
who set up her own media company, Petite Mu, to
give a voice to people with invisible disabilities after
receiving a diagnosis for multiple sclerosis in 2021
W
hen Alice Devès
was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis in
2021, she found herself
confronted with an
immense absence of information about
some of her symptoms, mainly the pins
and needles she felt in her right arm and
leg, or her constant fatigue.
She turned to Anaëlle Marzelière, a
friend with mental health conditions. The
two 27-year-old women founded Petite
Mu in May 2022, the first media company
to focus on ‘invisible disabilities’, with
Ms Devès supervising interviews and
Ms Marzelière drawing illustrations.
Petite Mu reaches nine million people,
in other words 80% of all disabled people
in France, according to figures from the
association APF France Handicap. Still,
it is hardly mentioned by mainstream
media.
The Connexion spoke with Ms Devès,
an example of the new generation of
journalists hoping to give more visibility
to disabilities that have previously been
ignored, as well as help remove the stigma
around these conditions.
“Welcome to Petite Mu, the media that
makes unseen disabilities visible,” says the
company’s motto on its podcast, Insta-
gram and website.
We have been talking about it in the
newsroom. I have asthma. Do I have
an invisible disability?
Yes (laughs.) Asthma is listed as a chronic
disease. The severity of the disease and its
spread will determine whether it is invisi-
ble or not. We interviewed someone with
a form of asthma so severe that it requires
hospitalisation every week.
I have asthma but it does not affect me
to the point of disability. Many people
would be considered disabled if they had
no treatment.
What is the definition of
an invisible disability?
No official definition currently exists. It
is a disability that cannot be seen. More
broadly, many diseases can be united
within ‘families’. There
are neurodevelopmen-
tal diseases with the
‘dys’ family (dyspraxia,
dyslexia, dyscalculia
and dysorthograph-
ia), attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) and people
with autism-spec-
trum issues. There are
auto-immune diseases
such as diabetes,
multiple sclerosis and
Crohn’s disease or
chronic diseases such
as asthma or endometriosis.
Then there are psychiatric and psycho-
logical conditions such as anxiety, depres-
sion, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2023
Photos: Alice Devès
Taking your personal experience
with multiple sclerosis, could you
break down the phases when
someone is diagnosed with
an invisible disability?
Each disease and how it affects someone
is different. I was diagnosed after 18
months with symptoms. But I had not
considered it a disability. Coping with
the disease was not particularly difficult
because I was expecting even worse. But
it took me six months to accept it.
I have constant neuropathic pain that
hurts my body daily, and a lot of chronic
fatigue, which are both invisible symp-
toms. When I try to explain symptoms to
friends, all I get is “well, sleep more and
you will be better tomorrow.” It does not
work like that.
It is a case by case study. I see it with
people with psychological issues, like
Annaëlle, who try to overcome their
conditions by hiding their symptoms.
It is exhausting.
There are similar experiences, however,
such as the months or years without
diagnosis, the announcement of the
disease and its acceptance phase.
My best friend was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis. Here’s what she
told me when I asked whether she
considered herself a disabled person:
“I was diagnosed so long ago that I
no longer think about it. I do not talk
about it because I do not want peo-
ple’s perception of me to change.”
I think that way sometimes as well. I
have talked about it through Petite Mu Above, Alice Devès Do you want Petite Mu to help those In the medical world, it is even more
but I know there is a permanent mark of Petite Mu; inset, living with disability to feel included? complicated to question doctors’ au-
on my head should I want to work some- Alice giving a talk This is how it was envisioned. We cre- thority. Medical studies do not have a
where else. I gave up a part of my private with co-founder ated the media we would have liked for single course on invisible disabilities. It is
life that every potential employer now Anaëlle Marzelière ourselves. It is true that you can feel ex- clear from reading the comments on our
knows. tremely lonely when you are diagnosed. I Instagram that many doctors still do not
Petite Mu’s credo is to liberate speech felt completely out of step with my friends believe in endometriosis.
because it affects so many people. There after the denial phase of my diagnosis.
is this social stigma about disabled That loneliness spreads quicker than Some argue that inclusivity is bound
people, as your best friend has noticed. you think. I noticed how friends had to fail for the most severe disabilities.
We want to change that. more and more remarks about my What is your position?
condition, telling me that I should “take You cannot treat each disability in the
Why is a disability often associated care of myself ” or “have a rest”. While not same way. Inclusivity has to be incorpo-
with a wheelchair? Where does it deliberately malicious, I was no longer rated differently for a diabetic than for
come from? invited to events and parties. This is a someone with mental health conditions.
From the logo portraying slow exclusion.
a wheelchair user, even I think Petite Mu helps a lot of people The government unveiled a €2bn plan
“
though only 2% of disabled who have difficulty explaining their pain for disabilities. Do you fear invisible
people use one. A wheel- or feel hopeless and excluded from their disabilities will still be a lost cause?
chair is visible. Nobody can social lives. I do not know its content but I do not
question the disability. expect much. What I know is that the
But it is often inadequate The amount of positive comments phrase was not even mentioned during
if you read some of the expressing gratitude and thankfulness the hour-long press conference.
comments on Petite Mu. struck me. What does this say? The priority remains the management of
They show that people That invisible disabilities are not talked people with mental health issues who are
have said to them: “You are We created about. That half of the people I speak with still stigmatised.
seated, you can wait,” upon do not know what it is. That the State has
showing a disability card. It the media not launched a single national campaign. The term ‘invisible disabilities’ is
is unbelievable. That the European Union tells us that being used more in newspapers.
With or without a disability we would France is behind other countries when What do you expect for the future?
card, people receive the same remarks taking care of people with disabilities. Petite Mu hopes to touch as many people
and treatment. Now imagine having have liked Each association covers its own disease, as possible, but mainly to reach people
an invisible disability. It is even more but there are no global movements for with no disability, in the hope that they
difficult. for ourselves the cause. become aware of its existence.
6 Gardens
Get your French winter garden fix with
terrific topiary and super light shows
Garden lovers rejoice!
As Sarah Beattie reveals,
there are still plenty of
options to explore in
the cooler months
G
enerally very few gardens are
open for visits in winter and,
while that is understandable,
it is a shame. Winter is the
perfect time to admire the
framework of a garden without the uphol-
stery of leaves and flowers. You can admire
the tracery of branches, see the architec-
ture of the trees and shrubs.
Imagine a bright, cold day, seed heads
and leaves rimed with sparkling frost,
hedges dark against a blue sky or a misty
morning in chateaux gardens, strolling
parterres with a touch of Gothic romance.
There are also special illuminations for
winter in various locations around the
country.
At the Domaine national de Saint-
Cloud (92), which has ‘Remarkable
Garden’ status, there will be the third
annual ‘Lumières en Seine’. Running from
November 17 until January 14, from 17:00
to 23:00, the immersive interactive trail is
about 2km long with lights, music, floodlit
sculptures and installations. There are
‘chalets gourmands’ (food shacks) along
the route with hot and cold drinks, snacks
and a magnificent carousel.
Although the organisers say the route is
passable (but difficult) with a pushchair,
they advise the use of a sling or backpack
as there are some pebbly or gravelled sec-
tions and a few slopes – Saint-Cloud is a
large natural park with a forest and cas-
cades. You need to book tickets (adults
€20, children €16, www. lumieresenseine.
com) and entry is through La Grille
Clémenceau. You need to arrive by public
transport as there is no onsite parking.
The nearby Jardin des Plantes in Paris
also has illuminations. No details were
available at time of writing but in previous
years themes have been mini beasts with
huge illuminated dragonflies, butterflies
and creepy crawlies as well as the path of
evolution with displays of sabre-toothed
tigers, mammoths and dinosaurs.
Check for updates at www.jardindes
plantesdeparis.fr
THE HISTORIC gardens of Château de la
Ballue in Brittany near Mont Saint-Michel
at Bazouges-la-Pérouse (35) were first laid
out in 1620. After centuries of neglect
following the Revolution and two world
wars, the gardens were restored and
expanded in 1973.
Now classified as a ‘Remarkable Garden’,
it has parterres full of truly incredible box
topiary in which to wander, including the
‘poulailler’ (chicken run) with topiary ani-
mals, temples, gateways and a maze. There
is a green tunnel of cypress trunks and a
crinkle-crankle hedge surrounding an out-
door theatre. The only snag is that you will
need to be a guest in the luxurious bou-
tique B&B – pamper yourself in their spa
and pool: www.la-ballue.com.
In the heart of the Périgord, the gardens
of 17th century Manoir d’Eyrignac were
connexionfrance.com
completely redone in 1965. They have Above: the majestic
300 world-famous topiary, sculptures and gardens at Château
parterres in yew, box, hornbeam and ivy. Villandry; below,
Eyrignac has been opening its gates to the an installation at
public since 1987. Domaine national
The gardens are open in the winter every de Saint-Cloud’s
day from 10:30-12:30 and 14:30 until dusk. ‘Lumières en Seine’
You don’t need to book in advance light show
although it can be cheaper. Prices are
reduced in winter and dogs are admitted if
on leads. At the end of an avenue of majes-
tic sombre hornbeams there is a Chinese
pagoda with a verdigris roof, vividly con-
trasted against its red lacquered wood-
work. Winter’s low sun will cast enormous
shadows of the geometric-shaped topiary:
cones, spheres, cylinders, pyramids and
spirals are combined in complex patterns.
Elsewhere in the gardens, in a less formal
setting, the gardeners have created a topi-
ary farmyard of ducks and geese, a dog,
sheep, a squirrel, a peacock, chickens and
rabbits. Although there is a restaurant and
tea rooms on site, sadly they are both
closed in the winter. All details can be
found at www.eyrignac.com
THE GARDENS (and there are many) at
Château Villandry are open all year but
if you want to visit the chateau too you
will need to go between December 2 and
January 7 (excepting Christmas Day)
when you can see all the Christmas green-
ery festooning the interiors, from the din-
ing room to the bedrooms in their special
exhibition ‘A Noël, la Nature s’invite au
French Living I December 2023
more information, visit www.chateau
Photo © Château et jardins de Villandry/Guillaumette Mourain
villandry.fr; adults €8 (€13 with chateau
entrance), child €5.50 (€7.50), under 8s
visit for free.
IF YOU would like to escape the winter
weather, you could visit the glasshouses
at the southern edge of the Bois de
Boulogne. The site first served as a botani-
cal garden from 1761, in the reign of Louis
XV. The turquoise-coloured Serres d’Auteuil
were constructed by architect Jean-Camille
Formigé at the end of the 19th century.
The largest glasshouse contains a palm
house, an orangery and a tropical garden.
There are now a further six contemporary
greenhouses near the Roland Garros
tennis stadium.
The gardens are open from 8:00 (week-
ends 9:00) until 17:00 daily – the glass-
houses shut at 16:00. Details, including an
article entitled ‘Around the world in one
day and six greenhouses’ on www.paris.fr.
In Lyon, in the middle of the park ‘Tête
d’Or’, a greenhouse was constructed in
1888 to house the South American
(Victoria amazonica) waterlily. The first
of its kind in France, it was the pride of
Lyon’s botanical garden, one of the largest
municipal gardens in France.
Its leaves are so big that rainforest deer
can stand on them – the specimen at Kew
was famously photographed with a rather
sulky Victorian child sitting on it, complete
with hair bow and pinafore. In 1982, to
improve its growing conditions, a network
of metallic veins, mirroring those of the
underside of the lily itself were added to
the roof. Now there are more than 150
aquatic plants including Egyptian lotus,
star lotus and prickly waterlily.
Open every day from 9:00 until 16:30,
www.jardin-botanique-lyon.com
In Nice, the exceptionally temperate cli-
mate means you can enjoy the city’s botan-
château!’ (Nature steals into the chateau at ical gardens all year round – the tropical
Christmas). In the formal kitchen gardens and Mediterranean don’t stop flowering.
you can see ornamental cabbages and Created in 1983, with over 3,000 species it
leeks, and wander through parterres, sepa- covers an area of 3.5 hectares. You can
rated by clipped hedges, which from above reserve a place on a free guided tour which
look like a huge pieced quilt. lasts about 90 minutes. The gardens hold
There have been gardens since the national collections of sages and of agaves.
Renaissance at Villandry but at the begin- Closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s
ning of the 20th century they were rede- Day, the gardens are otherwise open from
signed by Joachim Carvallo, who blended 8:00 (9:00 Wednesdays, Saturdays and
innovation with tradition to create his Sundays) until 17:00.
sumptuous masterpieces. You can get a Free parking and free entry but no dogs.
sense of the scale of it by scrolling through www.nice.fr/fr/parcs-et-jardins/le-jar-
their Instagram @chateauvillandry or for din-botanique
Photo: Lumières en Seine /FDacebook
December 2023 I French Living
Garden digest
Top of the stères
’Tis nearly the season to treat the garden
lover in your life (or indeed yourself)
to a last-a-lifetime decorative item, and
nothing is more elegant than a glazed
Anduze terre cuite (terra cotta) monu-
mental plant or shrub pot.
Vases d’Anduze – made in the village
of Anduze in the Gard department
(Occitanie) since the second half of the
17th century – were traditionally planted
with orange or lemon trees (which needed
to be brought inside in winter) and
became fashionable at grand houses.
Available to buy from producer Boisset’s
website: poterie-anduze.fr and from lead-
ing garden centres – shop around for the
best deal. They come in many different
sizes: expect to pay from €320.00 for a
70cm-high model.
Gardening jobs for November
While it might not be especially enjoyable
to be gardening in December, there is
plenty to be done. Jobs include planting
new rosebushes, properly weeding and
cleaning your flowerbeds (rake up fallen
leaves in borders), harvesting beetroot,
carrots, cabbages, leeks and more. Aspar-
agus, shallots can be sown in the ground.
A festive home
Adorning one’s French home with
traditional festive plants is easily done
– poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
are widely available in supermarkets and
garden centres at this time of year. They
are sometimes labelled ‘étoiles de Noël’
(Christmas stars).
If you would like to hang a garland on
your door, use the word ‘guirlande’ or
‘couronne’ (crown) for your research
or when asking in store.
Photo: jez timms Unsplash
connexionfrance.com
Photo: poterie-anduze.fr
Main image, violas
work well over winter;
inset: azaleas provide
showy blooms from
early autumn to spring
Main photo: Image by LoggaWiggler from Pixabay; inset: Sarah Beattie
Tips for splashes of winter colour
Sarah Beattie reveals the best plants to pep up your French garden this season
French garden diary
W
inter need not mean
Insta-jardins your garden is without
Instagram is a brilliant colour and interest.
place to enjoy other With a little care and
people’s gardens in attention focused in
France, with everyone spots you see and use in the coldest
from visitors to chambre months, your garden can give you as
d’hôtes owners posting much pleasure as in the summer.
seasonal snaps and quirky Group pots by your front and back
updates from their gar- doors. You still have time to plant tulip
dens (users can search us- bulbs but you can also find ready potted
ing the hashtag #jardins, bulbs such as crocus, Iris reticulata, mus-
#monjardin, #jardinage cari, tiny narcissus and hyacinth in most
or #potager). supermarkets. Although these are sold for
For some urban garden- indoor use, if you choose bulbs that are
ing inspiration, follow just showing green, rather than those in
jardin_de_ville_france bud, and plant them deeper in your pot,
who cares for – amongst
they’ll grow and put on a show at the end
many other plants –
of January.
succulents and cacti in
Other instant colour to be found at
a mystery town centre
supermarkets are bright polyanthus /
location in Charente-
primroses and pansies / violas. The range
Maritime!
of colours is huge and it’s worth being
fussy. You can create really lovely displays,
mixing them with small shrubs in a large
pot as you would with summer bedding.
Skimmia’s tight pink buds can be picked
up in a toning polyanthus – try a frilly
double or contrast with deep blues or
dark purples. Various silver-leaved,
winter hardy plants, such as Convolvulus
cneorum (hardy to -9˚C as long as it’s in a
pot with good drainage), will look pretty
with cool lilac, mauve and white violas.
The two toned dark purple and orange
look good with Ballerina or Queen of
the Night tulips.
You will need to deadhead to keep a
good show of flowers. In my opinion
violas work better over winter than the
tempting large flowered pansies. Unless
you have a very sheltered spot out of the
wind and rain, the velvety mixture is
soon ragged and sad.
These need not be the throwaway plants
you might imagine – I split and repot my
primroses in April or May (after empty-
ing the terrace pots to refill for summer.
They then spend summer grouped in
the shade with the hellebores, cyclamen
and azaleas). My azaleas – all from kind
dinner party guest gifts – swap places
with the pots of pelargoniums on the
front steps. Their showy blooms stand
sentinel from early autumn to spring.
Most supermarket azaleas are really
several small plants, forced into flower,
and crammed into a pot. Water well and
leave to stand, tip the plant(s) out and
gently tease apart the roots. Plant up
individually in ericaceous compost
(terre de bruyère). I find they do better
in terracotta pots.
Small-flowered cyclamen tend to be
hardy. There are ones which flower in
autumn/winter and some from January
onwards (ivy-leaved cyclamen and cycla-
men coum). Large flowered ones are
houseplants and will collapse with the
first frost – they don’t like it too hot
either and are fussy about draughts.
Garden cyclamen, if happy, will carpet
areas under trees and shrubs, all but dis-
appearing in summer and re-emerging as
the weather cools and the days shorten.
Cornus are grown for their bare stems
so you can underplant with cyclamen.
Avoid a colour clash – maybe the fluores-
cent orange is not the best choice
with pale pink cyclamen but
would look good with a car-
pet of blue or white scilla.
Cornus stems look like
smart Bond Street leather
in lush citrus shades of
orange, lime and lemon –
smooth with a rich depth
of colour.
You can also find cherry
reds and olives. Prune almost
to the ground each late spring to
“
My azaleas – all from
kind dinner party
guest gifts – swap
places with the pots
of pelargoniums on
the front steps
Gardening 7
force a new flush of straight stems for
winter colour.
You may associate clematis with spring
and summer but there are fabulous win-
ter flowering ones. My favourite – first
seen in North Yorkshire but now thriving
in Gascony – is Clematis cirrhosa Wisley
Cream. Masses of rich cream flowers nod
in any breeze, giving off a perfume on
warmer days. There’s even a white-flow-
ered one called Jingle Bells for a very
Christmasy feel. It associates well with
the large flowered hellebores, commonly
known as Christmas Roses. Hellebores
are now available in all shades of pink
from the very palest through to deepest
maroon which is almost black. The new-
est – and priciest – colour is a delicate
yellow, so pretty with fresh greens.
There are – as with Clematis cirrhosa –
beautiful freckled flowers, speckled with
purples or pinks.
Pulmonaria has silver splashed leaves
and you can find it growing wild on
woodland edges but it’s a good garden
flower with a mix of bright blue and pink
blooms. If you would rather have a
single colour, choose Pulmonaria
Blue Ensign or EB Anderson
for an electric blue flash of
colour, P. Ice Ball or
Sissinghurt for whites, P.
Rubra for reds or P. Victoria
Brooch or P. Shrimps on the
Barbie for bright pinks.
Chimonanthus praecox or
Wintersweet blooms in
February with dainty yellow flow-
ers and a gorgeous perfume which can
fill that part of your garden for a month.
If the weather is inclement, cut stems to
scent your room. Otherwise known as
Japanese Allspice, it makes a large shrub
about 2m x 3m.
Emblem of the South of France, mimo-
sas will often be in flower in January and
February too. Their fuzzy pompoms on
ferny branches were cut and exported
to florists in London to bring a touch
of spring sunshine in winter gloom.
Mimosas can’t cope with too hard a
frost particularly if their roots are wet.
Viburnum Bodnantense, however, is
tough as those proverbial boots and
will give you pretty pink colour all
winter long.
8 Interview
‘I always tell
women to be
bold because
no field is out
of bounds’
Théodore Larcher speaks to Claudie Haigneré,
the first French woman to go into space, about her
stellar career, the future of space travel, and what
the next generation of astronauts might achieve
I
n 2026, France will send a second
female astronaut, Sophie Adenot,
into space. For now, however,
Claudie Haigneré is the only per-
son to have accomplished this.
In 1996, Ms Haigneré was the first
French woman to go into space – for 16
days aboard the Russian space station
Mir. She was only the second western
European woman in space, after Briton
Helen Shar­man, and the first woman to
board the International Space Station,
for nine days in 2001.
Having passed her Bac at just 15 she
became a hospital doctor and medical
researcher, eventually specialising in space
medicine before becoming an astronaut.
Her achievements in the job have since
been recognised with ministerial appoint-
ments in 2002 and 2004, executive roles in
big companies, medals and awards. Several
French streets and schools bear her name.
How do you feel about no longer
being the only French woman
to have gone into space.
I am an astronaut of the 20th century!
Luckily, a new generation of French and
European astronauts has taken up the
baton. A strong scientific background is
important for our young women.
I have coached Sophie Adenot through
several steps of her preparation process
and I will keep this relationship going.
She is a multi-skilled woman with a rich
personality who takes great interest in
sharing her experiences.
Has it been hard to carry the burden
of being the only French woman
to have gone into space?
I take pride in it, and it is more an honour
than a burden to bear. I do not consider
myself a role model but rather an example;
someone who has accomplished her
dreams and had the audacity to try a chal-
lenging, ambitious, and out-of-the-ordi-
nary career. That, I carry with pleasure.
However, I fully accept the role on behalf
of young women, but I also want to talk
about how science, engineering, and tech-
nology can enlighten future generations.
Your opinion is always sought every
time a new film about space is
released. Are these films accurate?
I want to highlight Proxima and
connexionfrance.com
L’Astronaute, the two latest French films
to have explored space, because they differ
from the usual American representations
which tend to offer dystopian images
or catastrophic situations that some
superhuman will save us from.
These two films have a human aspect
that is down to earth. These are films
about passion, commitment and dreams. I
think it is easier to relate to these qualities
more than to the superhero-like characters
seen in films like Gravity or Interstellar.
How have your views on space
changed since you went there?
There has been considerable technological
development to which I did not have
access. Technology has helped to advance
research into climate science and the
science of the universe, as well as to
improve things essential to our daily lives.
In 2000 we had no internet, I could not
send an SMS, and my camera was loaded
with film. We could only communicate
with ground control for 10 minutes at a
time, whereas now the communication
coverage is at 100%. I could not analyse
my experiments in orbit but had to wait
until I came back to Earth. This has con-
siderably changed the way we work and
analyse data on board. I find it amazing
that people on the ground can have almost
the same experience as astronauts in orbit.
This was particularly the case with astro-
naut Thomas Pesquet’s recent missions.
There are also more private companies
working in space exploration and research,
and they are sometimes more agile and
faster than public organisations. It creates
more competition but also greater ambi-
tion. We now go faster and further, while
lowering the cost of going into orbit. It
enlarges possibilities for accessing space
and helps new ‘space powers’ to arise.
People now ask questions that were not
asked before, such as what are the environ-
mental consequences of deforestation, or
cyclones, as seen from space. As astronauts
we act as ambassadors of research and
exploration in space, but also of Earth,
which has fascinated scientists from the
time they first saw its fragility from space.
There is a renewed interest
in moon exploration. What are
the goals around its conquest?
We no longer use the term ‘conquest’.
French Living I December 2023
Above, Claudie Countries are balancing competition and
Haigneré was collaboration, showing ‘hard power’ in
the first French their technological capacities on the one
woman to go hand, and ‘soft power’ on the other hand
into space regarding their ability to forge alliances.
The moon is on every space power’s agen-
da, attracting public and private actors.
The scientific goal is a lesser aspect.
Moon impact craters are archives of our
solar system. Dating them will have great
scientific significance for understanding
its formation and evolution. The dark side
of the moon is another goal. Scientists
hope to install long-distance telescopes to
unravel new mysteries of the solar system.
Finally, there is a whole new space econ-
omy. Research aims to extend that econo-
my to both around and on the moon. It is
at the moon’s south pole that we envisage
creating permanent bases, using the sun’s
energy and establishing a reservoir from
“
trapped meltwater.
By using these resources in situ, we
could install life support and fuel supplies.
Taking advantage of the lower gravity
there, we would be able to refuel on the
moon itself, a complete paradigm shift for
in-orbit operations and distant destina-
Contrary to tions such as Mars. It is potentially an
economic option to be explored.
what Elon By 2030, France will have put in place
the first elements of an infrastructure to
Musk says, host crews for longer stays, enabling them
to learn to live and work on the surface of
I do not celestial bodies. It will be a platform for
learning about destinations further afield.
consider France and the EU are now long-stand-
ing, reliable partners of the US.
it too late The question then arises about the level
of autonomy and interdependence neces-
to save sary for the expression of European val-
ues and talents in this collective adven-
our planet ture for humanity.
Photo: ESA/CNES-M.PEDOUSSAUT
‘To go to the moon is to prepare for
Mars’ you said once. I assume that
is what you are thinking about?
The Destination Mars programme is
driven almost entirely by scientific goals.
The idea is to understand a planet that has
lost almost all its atmosphere, its liquid
water and one that has become a desert.
Data from Mars could help us make
comparisons with Earth.
The second interest lies around the pos-
sibility of traces of prebiotic life or poten-
tial elements of life, considering Mars ini-
tially had conditions very similar to the
Earth. It could shake up the relationship
humanity has had with its environment.
Were you aware of the scope of space
exploration at the start of your career?
It was a dream for me when I was a child.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had set
foot on the moon in July 1969.
I was raised watching 2001: A Space
Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick. When I went
up in 2001, I understood we were way
behind what was depicted in the film.
In 1985, France and Europe had great
ambitions for space exploration with the
Hermès Project [for a European ‘space-
plane’]. That was 40 years ago and I was
convinced it was bound to happen.
Only now are we entering the mature
phase of this project. France and Europe
should ask themselves about their
contribution to that effort before every
possible scenario is preempted by others.
Why keep investing in moon and
Mars exploration when we have
such urgent problems on Earth?
Because to do so will offer potentially
game-changing solutions for Earth.
What is being done on the moon serves
December 2023 I French Living
terrestrial goals. Both planets share simi-
lar issues. Humanity will develop new
solutions only through imagination,
exploration and innovation.
Contrary to what Elon Musk says, I do
not consider it too late to save our planet.
I do not consider that we should just
resign ourselves to having to develop the
capacity to become a multi-planetary spe-
cies. Our goal is to become more careful
and responsible in safeguarding our plan-
et, not to resign ourselves to foregone
conclusions. We cannot afford to behave
in such a manner. That the subject should
be discussed, I understand. But it does
not mean it is hopeless. To renounce
space exploration is to renounce Earth.
What do you think of French people’s
attitudes towards science? Interna­
tional educational studies show we
do not have a lot of high achievers.
There is a worrying lack of scientific cul-
ture in France. We need to arouse young
people’s curiosity and amazement with
scientific demonstrations at places like
the Palais de la découverte in Paris, and
make sure they have the key know-how
to understand the changing world.
Science and technology should not be
something to be feared.
In school, students with difficulties
should be helped, but it is also important
that those with the highest potential
should not be slowed down.
The media could help too, with more
science programmes, for example.
French children have a clear idea of the
roles of police officier, firefighter, doc-
tor… but not the engineer.
You have said girls do not trust their
capacities enough to consider careers
in space engineering. Why is this?
I have often asked myself that question
over the last 20 years. I think that every-
body is still being weighed down by gen-
der stereotypes.
There should be more examples of
people who ‘made it’.
No door is closed today, but ‘some-
thing’ needs to open it.
That something can be a dream, a
desire, or meeting someone who helps to
push that door open if a lack of self-con-
fidence is holding them back.
I went into space engineering because
I wanted to enjoy the path I chose.
Sophie Adenot says: “I swim in my
own lane.”
She is right.
There is no need to look at what others
do. But that attitude requires self-confi-
dence and determination.
I always tell women to be bold because
no field is out of bounds to them.
Be bold and carry on.
Take pleasure in the little steps
forward.
You will not necessarily succeed but
you will learn immensely from your
mistakes and gain self-confidence.
What would future generations
of yourself look like?
There is Sophie Adenot, for one, as well
as other European trainee astronauts,
and there has been outstanding evolu-
tion in the field. Only 10% of trainees
were women when I was selected.
The latest batch from the European
Space Agency showed 24% are women.
Eight out of the 17 astronauts chosen
are women, almost 50% with no help
from affirmative action policies.
They all had outstanding CVs.
They are smart, competent, and
can work diligently.
They give me great confidence for
a future where gender parity exists.
connexionfrance.com
Photos: Top, Abaca Press / Alamy ; bottom, CNES
Recycling food waste into
compost in Strasbourg
Green news
City centre compost
Employees of Sikle, an eco-minded asso-
ciation based in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin),
travel around the city on specially cus-
tomised ‘cargo bikes’ to collect food waste
from companies and private individuals
before transforming it into compost.
The service, which is used by restau-
rants, hotels, bars and cafés, bakeries,
florists, supermarkets and shopping
centres, costs €60 per month for one visit
per week. Sorting crates for various types
of waste are provided.
“The idea came from the observation
Top: Claudie Haigneré that a lot of food waste had not yet been
with Emmanuel recycled. In other words, when we put it
Macron at the Paris in a black bin bag, it goes to incineration,
Air Show in 2023; which makes no sense because food
above, during the waste is 80% water. We can transform
Andromède mission this waste into a resource,” Joakim
to the Interna­tional Dangel, who founded the project, told
Space Station in 2001 www.francetvinfo.fr
Meanwhile twice a week, the association
also sets up collection points for 400
households around the town centre.
Once mixed with wood shavings, the
food waste is transformed into compost,
and in a few weeks becomes a natural
fertiliser to be sold by the bag (2.5 or
40litre) or loose ‘en vrac’.
Loto game is ‘biodiversity scam’
The French government has only just
launched its ‘Mission Nature’ biodiversity
charity lottery, yet the scratch card game
has already encountered controversy, with
one environmental association calling it a
‘biodiversity scam’.
The game cards, which are available at
Française des Jeux retail outlets (such as
tabacs, are intended to raise at least
€6million for the French Biodiversity
Office (OFB), in order to finance around
twenty ecological projects – including the
protection of peat bogs in the Hauts-de-
Somme region and the protection of
posidonia [underwater forests that serve
as fish nurseries] in the Mediterranean.
Of the €3 ticket price, only 43 centimes
goes to biodiversity projects (66% goes
to winning players; 7.1% is tax, 6.6% goes
to FDJ and 6% to retailers) – a total
which is unacceptably low, says France
Nature Environment, a national federa-
tion of associations for the protection of
nature and the environment in France.
Its President, Antoine Gatet, also
believes the €6million target is too low.
“We need €500 to €600million a year to
Green news 9
Image by Sikle/Facebook
finance biodiversity,” he said, adding that
“we’d prefer the government to take the
time to find these sums by taxing kero-
sene in France, for example.”
There are also concerns about the cards
increasing risk of gaming addiction
among young people. “It’s a public health
issue,” said Liberal Party MP Christine
Lavarde, pointing to the “dangers of
gambling and the addiction it can create”,
while Socialist MP Angèle Préville, has
denounced the lottery game as “green-
washing of gambling”.
Toys get a green rating
Family toy firm King Jouet, which is
headquartered in Voiron (Isère), has
launched a ‘toy score’ to rate the environ-
mental value of products on sale in its
stores. The 1,600 items in its 2023
Christmas catalogue are the first to
receive a score from 0 to 5, which is
marked next to the product price.
Based on the concept of rating food
products, the ‘Jouet Score’ (toy score)
scheme aims to promote environmental-
ly-friendly products, with marks awarded
“
Some of our suppliers
have come to us
asking how they can
get a better score
based upon manufacturing processes,
packaging and materials used.
They worked with Ecomaison, the
organisation mandated by the French
government to look after the toy recy-
cling sector, to establish the ratings. “We
give priority to FSC wood (from sustaina-
bly managed forests) and products made
from recycled materials,” said project
leader Coralie Gueydon, who told France
Bleu that the aim is “to pull the industry
upwards and raise suppliers’ awareness.
As distributors, we have a responsibility
to be transparent and to support consum-
ers in their purchasing decisions.”
It is already having an impact, she says:
“since the launch of the ‘toy score’, some
of our suppliers have come to us asking
how they can get a better score. So we’re
delighted with this approach, because we
think it’s starting to take root.”
10 Nature
In awe of Palaeolithic paintings
Jonathan Kemp marvels
at painted depictions of
animals in Ariège caves
D
eep inside an Ariège moun-
tain, about an hour from
the Mill, is a cave that I
think of as a womb; it is
called la Grotte de Niaux.
The 800 metre walk from the surface
car park halfway up the mountain is
through windings of labyrinthine com-
plexity; sometimes wide subterranean
river-gouged caverns (these caves are
always found in limestone country, which
is a water-soluble rock) sometimes tight
passages where you have to be careful
not to knock your head. The small group,
never more than 25, inevitably talks in
hushed tones; to be in such a place elicits
a sense of awe.
You are, of course, with a competent
guide, often an archaeological student.
I have been several times over the years
and they are always knowledgeable and
engrossed in their subject. They stress,
however, that there remain many aspects
of the ingress by humans there that will
never be completely understood. Niaux,
and the other examples of prehistoric
cave art, will always hold their secrets.
We are, after all, witnessing something
many, many thousands of years old.
Arriving, finally, in a large domed
chamber, known as the ‘salon noir’, the
guide asks everybody to extinguish their
lamps. The silence and the darkness are
the most profound that I have experi-
enced. We had been positioned by a rail-
ing, and when the guide illuminated the
side walls of the cave the most wonderful
line drawings emerge out of the rock.
There was a gasp of astonishment at what
we saw there.
They are made with black lines, drawn
with the assurance and precision that you
see with truly great artists. They are of
animals, some of which have long disap-
peared from the modern countryside.
There are bison, horses, ibex, a deer.
There are other representations in the
part of the cave that is currently closed to
visitors – a weasel, which is only depicted
in Niaux and nowhere else; and aurochs,
a large cattle ancestor which has been
In defense of spiders: arachnids are not aggressive, says specialist ‘Madame Araignée’
Samantha David
A
French biologist affec-
tionately known as
‘Mme Araignée’ says
reports of a man dying
from a spider bite last
June in Italy are inaccurate. “The
facts of that case cannot have been
established when it was reported,”
says Christine Rollard of the Muséum
National d’Histoire Naturelle. “Either
he was already ill, or he died of an
infection following an insect bite of
some kind, but the truth is that spiders
don’t bite humans, and in the rare
cases that they do, it will not be fatal.”
She says that French pharmacists
are in the habit of blaming nasty-
looking insect bites on spiders
without the slightest proof, and
connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2023
Alpine Ibex Weasel
initiation rite for the people that under-
took the hazardous journey into the
deep mountain (without all the security
of modern lighting methods which
can be relied on to last the time that a
visit takes).
These people were totally immersed
in nature, and it is now generally recog-
nised that there is a shamanistic element
All photos: Sites Touristique de L’Ariège
in similar practices that anthropologists
have encountered in other tribal cultures.
The danger that had to be confronted
by the shaman and his acolytes, the sub-
mersion in the deepest bowels of mother
earth for what must have been considera-
ble lengths of time, are factors that
contribute to the intensity of their
are much older, a staggering 33,000 years experience and may lead to altered
Bison before the present. It is impossible for the states of awareness.
public to visit Chauvet as it is considered Thus I can well imagine the anxiety,
necessary to preserve it in pristine condi- if not terror, that a young person would
tion, but a facsimile – apparently very have to confront if left alone with a splut-
good – has been constructed. tering torch and no reliable memory of
Sometimes the artists used the form of how to find their way back to the surface
the rock to suggest the natural shape of and the comfort of family.
the animal – the curve of a bison’s belly Throughout many cultures, initiation
for instance. Some are staggering in the was an important step often undertaken
life force that emerges from the rock, as a doorway into adulthood, and indeed
others are not so well drawn. Oddly, some tribal people still maintain these
sometimes they are superimposed one rites to this day, despite disapproval from
over another, and the scale varies widely. governing authorities. They can be very
Obviously the animals depicted were dangerous.
prey for the people who painted them; There can be little doubt that these
some of the flanks seem to be pierced by caves represented sanctuaries to the peo-
extinct since the 17th century. spears, and parallels with other hunter- ple that penetrated them in the deep past.
In Niaux, there are no human forms – gatherer’s practices show that an intense Carbon dating of the various pigments
these are rare in Palaeolithic art. There identification with the animals is consid- used for the paintings has shown that this
are, however, many geometric forms, ered a necessary preparation for success was a practice that continued for nearly
“
some in a red pigment: series of dots, in this difficult and dangerous pursuit a thousand years, from 13,850 years ago
a vertical stick with a loop to one side of high-value food. It is interesting to until 12,890, perhaps not continuously
called a claviform, and a barbed sign note, however, that the animals depicted but certainly in two distinct phases.
vaguely representing an arrow. were not the usual prey for these people, There was, therefore, a memory that
The meanings of these signs are obscure; which is known to have been reindeer. lasted many generations and a cultural
perhaps they are coded messages for The question remains as to why it was intention to access this difficult place
others to read. However, there are over The animals considered necessary to travel so deeply which was not in the slightest way casual.
500 human footprints in the currently into the cave system to make these draw-
inaccessible part of the cave, waiting for depicted ings. Clearly more was going on than just
sufficient funds to become available for preparations for a hunt.
a thorough scientific study. were not I have asked myself what are the rea-
You are looking at paintings 13 or sons behind such an undertaking. There
14 thousand years old, drawn by the usual is, perhaps, a clue in the feelings that I
Magdalenian homo sapiens people, our experience when I finally emerge into
direct ancestors, and now known to have prey for the normality of daylight, warmth and
been created over almost a thousand the expanse of the surface world. There
years of different visits to these caves. these is a sense of relief, as if a trial has been
Other caves containing Parietal (wall) art, successfully passed through. Perhaps
such as the Chauvet caves in the Ardèche, people this hints at there being elements of an
A 55 metre Porch
that in the unlikely event of being identified, and I use the opportunity
Photos: François-Gilles Grandin
bitten by one, most people wouldn’t to reassure people.”
even notice. In fact, Christine Rollard points
“The majority of the 1,650 species out that spiders can be a blessing in a
of spiders found in France have fangs house. “There’s an old French saying
which are too small to bite a human, that the presence of spiders in a house
and in any case not all spider bites proves that it is wholesome, but some
Right: A micrommate
include the injection of venom.” species prefer damp places. Having
(Micrommata
The Mediterranean Recluse spider said that however, spiders eat all kinds
virescens) taken
(araignée violoniste in French) which of insects including mosquitoes, flies,
by a colleague of
was blamed for the man’s death in fruit flies and dust mites, making
Christine’s, Bruno
Italy can theoretically cause necrotic them an asset in a house. They also
De Reviers. Above:
bites. “But spiders are not aggressive eat each other, so their propagation
A 4-spotted spider
towards humans. We are not their is self limiting.”
(Araneus quadratus)
prey.” An interesting fact about them is
that she caught in
She says that worldwide around 5-15 that not all of them spin webs. Some
Haute-Savoie
deaths a year are credibly attributed to hunt while jumping, others while
spiders. “Even the famous Black running. “The best thing to do is work to do when it comes to educat-
Widow is not aggressive, and just ignore them. Spiders don’t carry ing the public. “I do talks and pres-
a bite would probably not be fatal diseases, they don’t attack humans, entations as often as I can but I
unless the person was already medi- they don’t spoil food. They are very cannot be everywhere at once, so
cally vulnerable. The enormous easy housemates.” I write books.”
spiders occasionally found in banana After forty years of specialised Her book, ‘50 Idées Fausses sur
crates look scary but are not danger- research and study into spiders, les Araignées’ Editions Quae, 2020
ous. People send them here to be Christine Rollard says there is still (in French) is particularly interesting.
 December 2023 I French Living connexionfrance.com Cultural digest/Trending 11
From podcasts to love lessons Communauté de la Riviera
Française participants get
A round up of the arts and culture stories creating a buzz in France some expert zero waste tips

1. Top of the pods 3. Streaming services price hikes

Looking for a good listen to boost your
French skills? Try a podcast... Latest
figures reveal that 172 million French
podcasts were listened to or downloaded
worldwide during September 2023. Of
these, 134 million were in France.
France Inter, the national radio station
Subscription prices for streaming servic-
es such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon
Prime in France continue to rise.
In October, Netflix bumped up the cost
of two of its four subscription models:
the ‘Essentiel’ version increased from
€8.99 per month to €10.99, while a
‘Premium’ subscription also rose

1
Image: After Foot/RMC

by €2 to €19.99 per month.

This is the fifth price hike since
the company launched in France
in 2014. “As we bring more value
to our members, we occasionally

Photos: François-Gilles Grandin

ask them to pay a little more,”
said a company statement.
Disney+, Amazon Prime and
Apple have all raised prices – the
latter’s basic subscription rose to
€6.99 last year, and now has gone
up to €9.99 a month.

4. Love is all around in Lyon

and part of France Radio, is the runaway
industry leader, with 41 million listens
and/or downloads in that month. Next
comes French-Monégasque radio station
RMC with 30.7m, followed by France
Culture (29.9m), RTL (29.6m) and
Europe 1 (11.9m).
The leading podcast is RMC’s long-
standing football talk show L’After
Foot with 16.7 million downloads/
Lyon’s science centre and anthro-
pology museum, the Musée des
Zero-waste workshops: learn to
Confluences, gets gushy for a new exhi-
bition dedicated to love in all its forms.
A nos amours (English title, All our
help the planet and save money
loves), which has been adapted from the
exhibition De l’amour, held at the Palais Théophile Larcher reports on the increasing number of schemes
de la découverte in Paris in 2019-2020,
reveals or rediscovers the universality
designed to encourage and educate people keen on reducing waste
of love and the diversity of human emo-
tional attachment, be that to lovers, The Menton scheme was the third edition of the
family and friends or even objects. waste programme organised by the CRF after two
#trending

listens – impressive given that it only
launched as a podcast in May. It is
followed by RTL’s daily comedy radio
programme Les Grosses Têtes hosted
M
Via 135 exhibits across four themes prior editions in Sospel and La Turbie, two nearby
based on Greek words for love – eros towns in Alpes-Maritimes. The fourth edition will
(carnal desire); storge (family love), ore municipalities and intercom- take place in Beausoleil from February 3 to June 29.
munal services around France are “Our goal is to look out for people who are not yet

2
Photo: Danor Aharon from Pixabay

by Laurent Ruquier, with 14.3m hits.
2. Slavery memorial confirmed
In 2018, the year that marked the 170th
anniversary of the signing of the decree
abolishing slavery in the French colonies,
President Macron promised to erect a
memorial to the victims of slavery. Now
a steering committee has unanimously
decided that the memorial’s location will
be the Trocadero – the area (pictured)
which overlooks the Eiffel Tower – with
a completion date of 2025.
“The symbolic significance of the site
is strong, given that it is the site where
the Declaration of the Rights of Man
was proclaimed and signed in 1948, and
where the Musée de l’Homme is located”,
said the government and the City of
Paris in a press release. The memorial
will “highlight the nearly 200,000 names
of slaves freed in 1848 in Guadeloupe,
French Guiana, Réunion and
Martinique”, it added.
The next stage is to open a competitive
process inviting artists and landscapers
to submit design proposals.
4
offering zero-waste workshops to
help citizens decrease their waste
consumption and raise awareness
of environmental issues.
Such workshops – ranging from single events to
long-term teamwork events – have been implement-
ed in places such as Paris, Menton, Colmar and the
whole of Corsica.
Zero-waste workshops take inspiration from an
initiative by Richard Anthony, an American who
founded an association to promote the works of
university professor Paul Connett, who wrote
The Zero Waste Solution as a new economic system
that would transition from throwing to reusing.
agape (selfless love) and philia (the social The Connexion went to the final meeting of a
bond) – it also assesses how societal and group of families in Menton (Côte d’Azur) who fol-
technological evolution has affected the lowed a nine-month long zero-waste programme
expression of l’amour. led by the Communauté de la Riviera Française
“The exhibition explores so many types (CRF), an intercommunal structure comprised
of love, highlighting their biological phe- of 15 communes in southern France.
nomena, their cultural codes and the “I learned how to produce my own household
social issues they raise,” says the muse- cleaning products, something I never thought possi-
um. “Thanks to a joyful and accessible ble,” said Julia Cataneso, a 40-year-old teacher and
staging, the museum invites us to let our one of the participants.
hearts beat and our emotions speak for The household cleaning product session was one
themselves. Runs until August 25, 2024, of nine workshops spread out over nine months by
see www.museedesconfluences.fr/en. the CRF.
The last workshop was centred around cooking
techniques to include parts of vegetables or fruits
Photos: Musée des Confluences
aware of our cause and its benefits,” said Erika
Tofani, responsible for the waste programme at CRF.
It is not just Menton which jumped on the zero-
waste train. Paris launched its own first edition of
‘Le Pari(s) du Zéro déchet’, a play-on-words with
Paris and ‘pari’ (bet) last May 24. Many cities and
companies have followed suit.
The workshop pretty much revolved around the
same workshops, from learning to produce home-
made washing powder products to workshops which
raise awareness on clothing manufacturing and
ocean pollution.
“People are looking for simple and concrete solu-
tions to reduce their global waste,” said Joséphine
Dabilly, founder of the company Ateliers Zéro
Déchet. Her company organises waste workshops
for intercommunal structures and companies.
Ms Dabilly – who made waste management a life-
style at home – said it takes little time and effort and
saves a good chunk of money. She shot several
two-minute tutorial videos that are broadcast on
France Télévisions and Youtube.
Each French person consumed 354 kilos of house-
hold waste in 2019, according to Ademe, a figure
jumping to 536 kilos when communal waste is
added and 1,800 kilos when professional waste (agri-
culture, hospital and industrial waste) is included.
It would need nine planets to live according to the
consumption standards of Qataris, 8.2 planets for

that are often binned. The families learned how to
prepare ravioli, reusing radish tops in a base recipe
composed of basil leaves and ricotta.
This final workshop of the season also gave
families the opportunity to evaluate themselves
after their nine-month effort in reducing waste,
the CRF having asked them to monitor their overall
Luxembourgers and 5.2 for people from Bahrain,
the three countries with the highest consumption
according to Earth Overshoot Day for the calculated
calendar date on which humanity’s resource con-
sumption for the year exceeds Earth’s capacity.
The United Kingdom consumes 2.6 planets,
France 2.8 and the United States 5.1 planets.

“
consumption.
It turns out the figures compiled by the organisa-
tion showed important changes in all categories. The
families reduced their overall waste by 39%, packag-
ing waste by 16% and household waste by 58%.
Likewise, the yellow bin – suitable for plastic and
paper waste – was reduced from 1.92 litres to 1.61 Families reduced overall
litres, while the black bin – all sorts of waste – shrank
from 2.27 litres to 0.95 litres per person per day. waste by 39%, packaging
Each person consumes 2.27 litres of household
waste on average, according to figures from the waste by 16% and house-
Ademe, the government agency in charge of ecologi-
cal transition. hold waste by 58%
12 Recipes
Entertaining in French st
In their interiors and cookery book exploring life in their renovated
Breton home, Vincent Farelly and Jean-Baptiste Martin offer some
delicious recipes to try at home, three of which we present. Below they
outline what winter brings and reveal how the kitchen got an overhaul
T
he light is getting paler, the days are growing
ever shorter, and the first frosts make their
presence felt. But the winter sun warms our
hearts as we sit on a stone bench in the
garden, or by the sea on the rocks of nearby
Lohic beach.
In Brittany, it never gets very cold, and the mild weather
means we can take long walks along the peninsula beside
the Small Sea of Gâvres. This haven of peace, once a sar-
dine-fishing port, can be reached by taking the water bus
that stops not far from the house.
On the wide expanses of the Small Sea, at low tide we
don our boots and, armed with a bucket and rake, we go in
search of shellfish. Cockles, clams, and sometimes mussels
and wild oysters are ours for the taking, if we’re lucky! The
harvest is often enough to fill a pan with shellfish, which
we then cook in butter, garlic, and parsley.
In late afternoon, it’s best to stay inside where it’s warm,
around a cosy fire in the living room. We snack on ginger-
bread, along with hot chocolate made according to a 1776
recipe, served on French East India Company tableware.
It’s the perfect time to focus on indoor activities.
In the kitchen, we tidy the cupboards and dressers and
line them with sheets of domino paper.
In the small living room, we craft lampshades to light the
long winter evenings.
The kitchen at Maison Lescop
The kitchen is without doubt the room in Maison Lescop
that has required the most attention. It’s an essential room,
a place of sharing and socialising.
The layout of the house is very simple: on either side of
the central staircase each room provides a dual aspect onto
both street and garden. The front windows once formed a
perfectly symmetrical facade. In the 1950s, the room to the
left of the staircase was converted into a garage, and the
wood paneling was partly removed.
Later, in the 1990s, this garage was divided up into four
smaller spaces (bathroom, small kitchen, darkroom, and
boiler room). We felt it was both obvious and necessary to
reinstate this room’s original scale. Rebuilding the facade
and recreating a new window gave us the opportunity to
SKATE WING WITH ANCHOVY AND CAPER BUTTER
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 x 800g or 2 x 400g skate wing(s)
2 tbsp wine vinegar
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
1 stick (113g) + 2 tbsp (150g total) unsalted butter
6 anchovy fillets in oil, chopped
2 tbsp (30g) capers in brine
Parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
connexionfrance.com French Living
restore the seven-
teenth-century sym- Vincent, Jean-Baptiste and
metry. We knocked dog Lili at the beach; below,
down the modern the kitchen at Maison Lescop
partitions forming
these various small
spaces, thus making
available some 27m2
in which we could
create the kitchen.
We wanted to
design a living space
that would fit in
perfectly with the
rest of the house
and give the impres-
sion that it had
always been there. Our aim was to reproduce the feel of a
genuine, old-fashioned kitchen, with wood-work in the
style of the epoch. For that, we opted for rows of low units.
Thanks to Romain Chauveau and Supercraft, his interior
design studio, as well as Golfe Agencement, a local carpen-
try company, all the cupboards feature mouldings whose
pattern was inspired by a cabinet fitted into the paneling of
the living room. Like eighteenth-century cabinets, each
row of units has rounded corners. The edges of the oak
worktops are embellished with bec-de-corbin or 'billhead'
moulding, again in the eighteenth-century style. Simple
wooden shelves, painted to match the colours of the kitch-
en, are used to display copper pans and moulds on one
side, and plates, glasses, and cutlery on the other. Above
the stove, a wooden extractor hood casing provides a
visual echo of the fireplace in the living room.
As for the overall paint colour, we worked with the brand
Ressource to develop a single shade of off-white that beau-
tifully enhances the copper utensils.
In the centre of the kitchen, which we designed as a din-
ing space, a very large vintage pantry table takes pride of
place. It immediately imposes its presence, while also mak-
ing it clear that this is a place of true hospitality.
Storing dishes
In addition to providing storage, kitchen shelves can also
be used to display serving dishes, glassware, and copper-
ware. To store plates or dishes, an old system used in
pantries consists of two regularly spaced rows of round
wooden rods or dowels set vertically between two shelves.
The spacing depends on the diameter of the plates to be
displayed.
Before we attached the shelves together, we drilled holes
for the rods 1cm deep to secure the rods between the
upper and lower shelves. The ends of the rods were glued,
then placed in the holes in the shelves before assembling
the shelf unit. It was then painted the same color as the
walls. This system allows the plates and dishes to be stored
safely, protected from possible damage, while also display-
ing them attractively. We fixed our unit above the second
kitchen sink, which is used exclusively for tableware.
Method
1. Rinse the skate wing(s) under cold water.
2. Fill a large pot with salted water and add the vinegar,
onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the skate wing(s), reduce the heat, and let simmer A Year in the French
gently for 15 minutes. Style: Interiors and
4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the Entertaining by
anchovies and capers, then remove from the heat. Antoinette Poisson
5. Carefully drain the skate wing(s) and place whole on by Vincent Farelly and
a serving plate. Drizzle with the melted caper-anchovy Jean-Baptiste Martin.
butter, sprinkle with parsley, and season to taste with Photographs by
salt and pepper. Ruth Ribeaucourt
6. Serve immediately, with the steamed potatoes. (Flammarion 2023)
I December 2023 connexionfrance.com Food notes 13

tyle

Main Image by www.creationsbycecile.com; inset, Amazon

Photos by Klaus-Maria Einwanger

From homemade to dazzling

luxury: take your pick of bûches
In our regular look at foodie tales, we look at the options
for that ultimate festive sweet treat, the bûche de Noël
flavoured with sugared chestnuts (marrons
Food notes glacés), chocolate or both, then rolled into

C
log form and adorned with little festive
decorations.
ROASTED SCALLOPS Ingredients
6 to 12 scallops in their shells
hristmas and New Year pro-
vide perhaps the most eagerly
Many French people still make their own
(Connexion readers missing the UK could
2 tbsp (30g) lightly salted butter anticipated culinary highlights adorn theirs – like your Food Noter does –
Serves 6
2g Kari Gosse spice mix or piment of France’s already packed with a post box as a sweet aide-mémoire!)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
gastronomic calendar. but they can also be bought fresh or frozen.
Cooking time: 3 to 5 minutes d’Espelette
Not only is Noël a socially important These days, the shape and ingredients of
Method period (as in the UK and US) for families bûches de Noël vary wildly – some do not
1. Ask your fishmonger to open and clean the scallops, leaving the coral attached if to get together, but it is also a time for even have the formal cylinder shape
you wish. Preheat the grill. once-a-year treats, the chance to and might feature fruit mousses.
2. Select 6 nicely cupped shells and place one or two scallops in each, with the coral splurge on the best things that For big name pâtissiers such
attached if you desire. one’s budget allows. as Ladurée and Hermé,
3. Place 1 teaspoon (5g) of butter on each shell and a pinch of Kari Gosse spice mix Oysters, foie gras and they provide the chance
or piment d’Espelette. roasted chapon (capon) to get creative, with elab-
4. Place under the grill for 3 to 5 minutes, until the scallops are just cooked are the usual go-tos for a orate structures and taste
through (they should be opaque throughout). Serve immediately. French Christmas meal combinations.
(eaten over the course of a However, you need not
few hours on December 24, scour top-end Parisian cake
ORANGE BLOSSOM CRÊME BRÛLÉE called le Réveillon).
The real ‘showstopper’,
shops to indulge – equally
appealing and good value are
Serves 4 however, arrives at dessert time. frozen ones made by high street
Preparation time: The traditional bûche de Noël (simply put, companies such as Picard, while all major
10 minutes this yule log is a posh ‘Swiss roll’, as Britons supermarkets sell their own brand of bûches.
Cooking time: 45 minutes might know it) is a flat sponge cake (un And do not forget to lay out your groan-
Chilling time: At least two biscuit génoise) perhaps moistened with ing yuletime table with the 13 desserts of
hours a little strong fruit alcohol, slathered with Provence (see page 14) and some quality
crème au beurre (buttercream) usually macarons. Joyeux Noël!
Equipment
4 × 6in (15cm) ramekins
Gadget inspector Now available
ingredients
6 egg yolks
100g sugar
1 tsp orange blossom water
Grated zest of 1 lime
160ml whole milk, well
chilled
500ml heavy cream, mini-
mum 30% fat, well chilled
25g brown sugar

Method
1. Preheat the oven to
195°F (90°C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk The perfect blend for Hello petal! Stay in the
together the egg yolks
and sugar until pale and
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thick. In domestic kitchens around France, ’Tis soon the season to indulge in a glass
3. Whisk in the orange the winter months mean one thing: hearty or two of champagne, but the latest version
blossom water and lime homemade soups featuring the freshest of Laurent-Perrier’s popular Cuvée Rosé
zest, followed by the milk and cream. Whisk until well combined and smooth. seasonal vegetables from the market. 100% pinot noir pink fizz can be brought
4. Divide the cream mixture between the ramekins, filling them three- At its Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées) factory, out time and again once the party season
quarters full. Moulinex makes this eco-designed blender is over, as its fine reusable metal ‘robe’ can
5. Bake for 45 minutes in a bain marie (roasting dish half-filled with hot water), from recycled plastic. With an ergonomic be used as a table centrepiece.
until just set. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours. handle and a 600W motor for optimal The ‘Pétales’ design features woven Dahl-
6. Before serving, sprinkle the brown sugar over the top and caramelise using a blending, it combines comfort and power, ia and Strelitzia petals in finely iridescent
kitchen torch or place briefly under the grill. as well as a 15-year repair commitment. pop colours. Limited edition, RRP €99,
Price €49.99, www.moulinex.fr www.laurent-perrier.com/fr
14 Christmas desserts
13 desserts, a festive Provencal feast
The ‘treize desserts’
including nougat, nuts,
dried and candied
fruits, is a Provencal
Christmas tradition
that dates back to the
Middle Ages, writes
Patrice Bertrand
I
In his novel Le Château de ma Mère
(My Mother’s Castle) the writer
Marcel Pagnol recalls a childhood
Christmas “with spit-roasted thrush-
es topped off with the traditional
thirteen desserts in front of a crackling fire
[...] A memorable evening,” he writes, “the
longest I’d ever had. I gorged myself on
dates, candied fruit and whipped cream.”
Pagnol, a true Marseillais, spoke from his
heart. In his time – the early 20th century
– Provencal families, religious or not,
respected a custom deeply rooted in
Provencal minds: thirteen (treize)
desserts – not twelve, not fourteen –
presented at the end of the Réveillon
(the famous Christmas Eve dinner),
commemorating the Last Supper and
symbolising Jesus and the twelve apostles.
Although today the bûche de Noël
(yule log) often replaces the thirteen
desserts, this sumptuous, gourmet custom
lives on everywhere in Provence.
“In fact, there are almost as many lists
of thirteen desserts as there are villages in
Provence,” says Pierre Jouvaud, head pas-
try chef at the legendary Maison Jouvaud
“
Custom dictates that
all thirteen desserts be
served simultaneously
and remain on the
table for three days
in Carpentras, Vaucluse, who, like many
bakers in Provence, offer a fine assort-
ment of Christmas desserts every year.
“Depending on location, whether Nice,
Aigues-Mortes or Avignon, it’s always
different. It depends on the baker, the
pastry chef, the locals or the family. But
there are always some basic ingredients.”
In the film adaptation of My Mother’s
Castle, Marcel’s father says: “stop, you
gluttons, before you eat them,
you must name the thirteen
desserts for me!” Indeed,
while some fifty variations
throughout Provence exist,
most Provencal inhabitants
can name the essential
ingredients, handed down
through generations and
integral to a Provencal
Christmas.
First, whether homemade or pur-
chased, they must include the famous
pompe à l’huile, a sweet cake or brioche
made with olive oil and orange flower
water. At Christmas time, it must be
broken in the same way that Christ broke
bread, and never cut with a knife.
Other staples include black and white
nougat, representing good and evil, or,
some say, black and white penitents. The
soft white nougat is made with sugar, egg
whites, pistachios, honey, and almonds
and the hard black one is made with
honey and almonds. Also crucial are
the four mendiants, symbolising the four
mendicant orders of the Middle Ages
and the colour of their monastic robes:
dried figs for Franciscans, raisins for
Dominicans, almonds for Carmelites,
and walnuts or hazelnuts for Augustinians.
Beyond that, the choice is freer, but
should remain limited to local products:
apples, pears, winter melon, white grapes,
chestnuts, candied fruit, jams (from the
méréville, citron melon), quince paste,
calissons (marzipan-like sweets made from
almond paste and candied melon), or
oreillettes (fried pastries dating back to
Roman antiquity). The only exotic items
tolerated are dates, mandarins and orang-
es, evoking the Three Wise Men who
came from afar.
Custom dictates that all thirteen desserts
be served simultaneously and remain
on the table for three days. Three white
tablecloths cover the table, decorated with
three candles, all symbolising the Holy
Trinity. Accompaniments include spar-
kling wine (such as Clairette de Die),
sweet Muscatel or vin chaud
(sweet red wine with a little
cinnamon, simmered on
the stovetop), and home-
made liqueurs.
Where does this tradi-
tion originate? The first
mention of an abundance
of desserts served at
Christmas was in 1683, in a
book written by a parish priest
from Marseilles, Father François
Marchetti. But the number thirteen was
not mentioned. Nor was it mentioned in
Provencal writer Alphonse Daudet’s short
story The Three Low Masses (1875), which
connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2023
products and culinary specialities.
Main photo and inset: © Maison Jouvaud
If you’re patient and organised, these
thirteen desserts can be made at home,
but they require a certain know-how.
Pierre Jouvaud, who makes two versions
of pompe à l’huile – brioche and fougasse –
explains: “It all depends on taste and
desires. The pompe à l’huile pâtissière is
lighter and softer. To make it, you need
high-quality flour and butter, fresh eggs
and good olive oil.”
For flavour, he adds aniseed and pastis.
When the brioche comes out of the oven,
he brushes it with aniseed-infused olive
oil. “It seals the brioche and prevents it
from drying out,” says Pierre Jouvaud
whose specialty is candied fruit – straw-
berries, apricots, figs, plums, melons or
chestnuts – a refined preparation that
takes time and patience all year, according
to seasonal harvests.
Fruits are cooked in copper pans in
small batches. At Christmas time, they’re
sold individually or as part of thirteen-
dessert packages, beautifully presented in
ceramic dishes.
One of the oldest components of the
thirteen desserts is nougat, an ancient
delicacy of Arabic origin made in the
Mediterranean basin since the Middle
Ages. The best-known is made in
Montélimar, but it’s also produced else-
where, such as in Sault, a perched village
in the Vaucluse.
There, at Confiserie Boyer, a bakery
Above: the 13 desserts
Photo: © Lamy OTCM
presented ready-to-
serve by Maison
Jouvaud in Carpentras,
Vaucluse; right: the
sweet treats are
served simultaneously
and remain on the
festive table for three
consecutive days;
inset, left: Pierre
Jouvaud at work
recounts how, one December 24, the
gluttonous Father Dom Balaguère hur-
famous for its nougat, Lucie Dutriaux
explains: “Traditionally, it was made in
riedly delivered midnight mass in order to the family, especially black nougat, fairly
gorge himself on Christmas Eve. Though easy to prepare. People used ingredients
Daudet evokes the profusion of dishes and they had to hand – lavender honey and
desserts, he’s silent on the Last Supper and almonds. They’d heat the honey over
the number thirteen, no doubt not yet high heat, add whole almonds which
part of the custom. caramelised, and add sugar syrup. This
It wasn’t until 1925 that ‘thirteen’ was nougat, which cooks quickly, is a hard
specifically mentioned in the Christmas sweet which can be chewed or melted
issue of a Toulon newspaper, following in the mouth.”
poet Frédéric Mistral’s late 19th-century She adds: “We produce it according to
efforts to restore the Provencal language traditional recipes. Most non-locals prefer
and to maintain its festivities and establish our soft white nougat, where the honey is
its customs. In La Pignato, Mistral’s disci- heated at a low temperature for several
ple Joseph Fallen wrote: “Here’s a quantity hours and stiffly beaten egg whites are
of sweets, delicacies – the thirteen des- added to the mixture, which results in
serts: you need thirteen, yes thirteen, not a very soft nougat.”
more [and] not one less.” Then, in the Whether homemade or purchased, the
1930s, the Musée du Terroir Marseillais, thirteen desserts are, in every family, a
now the Musée Provençal in Château carefully anticipated ritual. “People in
Gombert, Marseilles, devoted a room to Provence are very attached to this tradi-
the Christmas meal and drafted an official tion,” she says. “I’m married to a Provencal
list of the thirteen desserts. and every Christmas, it’s a huge deal
The tradition, definitively codified, con- deciding who’s bringing what…”
tinues today. Every December, the town She adds, “Here, they don’t mess around
of Aix-en-Provence, famous for its calis- with the thirteen desserts!”
sons, holds a ‘13 Desserts Market’ featur- www.patisserie-jouvaud.com
ing traditional Provencal Christmas www.nougat-boyer.fr
December 2023 I French Living connexionfrance.com Wine and Cheese 15

Photos courtesy of Pate Papotes

What do winemakers actually do?
Vigneron Jonathan Hesford reveals the skills needed, plus some trade secrets

Main photo: Jonathan Hesford; inset: Wendy Corniquet from Pixabay

A year in the vineyard

T
hose of us who live in wine
regions will know what
vignerons, or grape-growers,
do. We see them pruning the
vines, driving their tractors
and harvesting their grapes. But growing
grapes is only half the story of wine. The
other part is the transformation of grapes
Cheese of into wine. It takes place behind the closed
doors of cellars, out of view of the locals.
Meet the producers the month:

A
What are those winemakers – the vinifi-
cateurs and cavistes – actually doing?
t La Ferme des Grandes Bleu de chèvre Harvest is the busiest time in the cellar
Tuileries in Sézanne (Marne) and most winemakers will hire extra staff
Photo: www.fromagerie-notre-dame.fr

west of Paris, Jean-Baptiste to carry out many of the more laborious

Vervy and Caroline Payen tasks, much of which involves cleaning
grow hard wheat and make equipment. There is a saying that wine-
it into pasta. making is 90% cleaning up and 10%
The range is called Papote, a combina- not screwing up. It’s not quite true; wine- decisions are made. Does the juice need the wines in the cellar. This will involve
tion of the words ‘pasta’ and ‘pote’ (mean- making is about making lots of decisions sulfites adding to prevent oxidation or taking samples and measuring the densi-
ing friend), reflecting their approach to that will influence the style and quality of clean up damaged fruit? Should enzymes ty, sugar content, acidity and possibly
business. They consult regularly with a the wine. be used to get more clear juice from the other things to help make decisions about
team of volunteer tasters. Composing the cheese When grapes arrive at the winery, pressed fruit? In hot regions, winemakers additions and procedures to keep the fer-
Jean-Baptiste Vervy inherited the cereal platter for the big Christ- whether hand-picked or machine har- are permitted to add a small amount of ments on track and avoid any problems
farm from his parents, and is committed mas meal is a high-stake vested, they are usually put through a tartaric acid to their must (le moût) if such as the development of off-flavours
to agro-ecology; faming methods that affair in France and a machine called a de-stemmer (égrappoir required, while in cool ones they may like acetone, burnt-rubber, rotten eggs or
respect the environment. “He doesn’t leave minimum of three cheeses in French) which removes the grapes choose to add sugar to make up for lack vinegary smells.
the family cocoon at 4am each morning is recommended, with from their bunches. Some high-quality of ripeness. Above all, they need to make sure that
for the pleasure of polluting the food on something for all tastes. wineries will have a sorting table where White and rosé juice needs to be settled the yeast is kept alive long enough to
our plates and the planet for our children!” A classic trio would be bunches or even individual grapes are overnight at a low temperature to clarify convert all the grape sugar into alcohol
The couple use natural methods to con- Comté, Camembert, Saint- inspected and rejected if they are unripe, it and rack it off the heavy solids which and avoid the dreaded stuck-fermenta-
trol diseases and pests wherever possible, Nectaire and ewe’s milk mouldy or too raisined. fall to the bottom of the tank. The next tion that can result in wines refermenting
including vegetable mulches in order to blue Roquefort, while a After de-stemming and sorting, the day it will be pumped to another tank or and exploding in the bottle.
encourage earthworms to keep the soil more floral selection could grapes may be fed through a crusher, perhaps barrels, ready to be fermented. Small family wineries, without a univer-
healthy. The couple were pleased to be truffled Brie truffé which doesn’t really crush the grapes, Red juice may be kept under refrigera- sity-trained winemaker, will probably
be awarded the HVE (Haute Valeur (truly luxurious), Tomme it just breaks the skins to allow the juice tion for up to a week, protected under a make use of an oenologist from a local
Environnementale) label this year. aux fleurs, bûche de chèvre to flow out. blanket of carbon-dioxide gas, in order to laboratory to do most of the analysis
“We could have chosen to make bread,” cendrée (ash coated), and If the grapes are destined for white or extract colour from the skins without too and make recommendations on actions
says Caroline, who runs Papote, “but that Fourme d’Ambert. rosé wine, they will next be transferred to much tannin. to be taken.
is a whole different profession. You can For a twist on the stand- a press, either by pump or conveyor belt. Once ready to ferment, the winemaker After the primary fermentations are
learn to make pasta reasonably fast, and ard blue, why not pick Most modern presses are programmable has to make decisions about what kind complete, the work is not finished. The
we wanted to make something that people a bleu de chèvre (goat’s and automatic. All the winemaker needs of yeast to use. There are many commer- skins of the red wines need to be dug
cheese) – intense and melt- to do is select the appropriate programme cial yeast strains on the market which out of the tanks and then pressed. The
eat daily. We work with a local miller who
in-the-mouth but with a red wine then needs to settle in the tank
turns our wheat into flour and then we for the grapes and style of wine and then emphasise or reduce various characters
unique aroma.
make the pasta here at the farm. We don’t be on hand to pump pressed juice into in the wine or are more suited to the before it is racked off again to remove
Don’t forget the accom-
employ anyone. We do it all ourselves.” tanks and make sure nothing goes wrong. sugar or acid level of the juice. The wine- the yeasty sediment known as lees.
paniments: dried and fresh
Around 5-10% of the farm’s wheat pro- To make red wine, the skins are fer- maker may also choose not to add a Winemakers can also choose to put the
fruit, as well as various
duction is made into pasta. The rest is sold mented along with the juice, so no press- ny commercial yeast and rely on the wine through malo-lactic fermenta-
chutneys or jams.
wholesale. “We don’t have an enormous ing takes place at this stage. The grapes wild yeast growing on the skins of tion, which converts crisp
range of shapes and flavours because our Local speciality: are put straight into tanks, usually after the grapes. malic acid into softer lactic
acid – a process that can
research with our testers showed that peo- de-stemming and crushing but some- The temperature at which
ple tend to prefer the shapes they know, in Pain d’épices times as whole bunches. fermentation takes place take anything from a few
a natural flavour.” beer All of this equipment – the de-stemmer, can have quite a dramatic days to several months.
Finally, the wines are
They also sell a range of sauces which are the crusher, the press, the pumps, hoses impact on the resulting
made by a small ‘saucerie’ nearby, to reci- and tanks – all need to be cleaned ready flavour. Large modern transferred to their
pes developed on the farm. They are all for the next batch of grapes. In a winery wineries are equipped with chosen vessel to allow
vegetarian, and some are vegan. They are that processes a lot of vineyards, that may temperature monitors and them to mature for sever-
all made from locally grown vegetables. mean working around the clock in shifts automated refrigeration sys- al months or years. That
“63% of pasta eaten in France is import- to keep up with the fruit coming in. tems that allow the winemaker may be a stainless steel tank
ed, but we grow good hard wheat in At this stage, the first winemaking to programme the temperatures of for fresh white or rosé wine or a
France, and could make more pasta. each tank as they desire. In more arti- selection of oak barrels for red wines and

“
Photo: Fortwenger

Handmade pasta is more nutritious sanal wineries, keeping the fermentation richer whites. All the harvest equipment
because industrial pasta is dried very temperatures in the desired range needs to be thoroughly cleaned to
quickly at high temperatures. We dry the requires regular checking and adjusting remove tartrate deposits and put away
pasta for up to 24 hours at low tempera- of the refrigeration equipment. for next year.
tures in order to preserve nutrients.” Nothing evokes Noël quite The fermenting red wines need to be Once the finished wines are in their
The farm has an online boutique and like pain d’épices – a sweet ‘macerated’ on their skins to extract the chosen resting places, the winemaker
Papote is also stocked by local supermar-
kets. “We sell in quantities ranging from
and spicy gingerbread-style Once ready to desired amount of tannin, colour and
flavour. This is one of the most important
can take a well-deserved break. It always
amuses me when my neighbouring
cake – from Alsace.
500g to 5kg, and use protective packaging
to prevent the pasta being crushed in the
In the village of Gertwiller ferment, the wine- decisions in red wine making. It involves
regular pumping of the juice from the
vignerons, who take their grapes to the
local cave cooperative, assume that the
(Bas-Rhin), the Fortwenger
post.” papote-pates.fr company has been serving maker has to make bottom of the tank onto the top of the
skins or punching the skins down into
harvest work is all over once their last
grapes are picked.
up goodies since 1768,
from spice mixes for those decisions about what the juice using large plungers.
Either process is time-consuming and
Winemaking may take place behind
closed doors but the harvest isn’t finished
keen to make their own
cake or vin chaud, to stollen kind of yeast to use. needs to be done up to three times a day until about two months after the grape
growers have been on their holidays.
and Santa-shaped cakes. for each tank.
For the ultimate festive There are many As well as processing the incoming
tipple, why not try their fruit, keeping all the equipment clean, Jonathan Hesford has a Postgraduate
pain d’épices flavoured beer, commercial yeast monitoring the fermentation and carry- Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology
€3.50 for a 33cl bottle. Buy ing out the maceration routine, the wine- and is the owner and wine-maker of
from www.fortwenger.fr strains on the market maker needs to keep daily records on all Domaine Treloar. www.domainetreloar.com
 16 Interiors connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2023

Antiques hunt gives interiors inspiration

In his new book, the

© Bruno Ehrs
illustrator, designer and
lover of shop interiors
Marin Montagut reveals
how his love for antique
decorative objects
began and takes read-
ers inside some notable
Parisian treasure troves

M
y parents were antique
dealers and my grand-
mother was an artist,
so I grew up surrounded
by a multitude of objects
of all kinds. As soon as I could walk,
my parents began taking me to antique
shops, flea markets, and even to auction
houses.

So this taste for collecting is a family
affair that has been passed down from
generation to generation. In fact, many
of my collections are
connected to childhood
memories. That’s true
for the artists’ palettes
I’ve accumulated; they
have the power to take
me back in time to my
grandmother’s house,
where I would spend
hours watching her
paint, fascinated by the
colours and patterns
that seemed to spring
from her hands. Just
looking at the palettes
conjures up a multitude
of abstract paintings,
which bloom from the
dappled paint on their surfaces.
Another of my favourite collections
consists of plaster casts that find their
way into my home, where they recreate
the atmosphere of the artists’ studios that
have always fired my imagination. I like
to pose them on stands, where the light
plays on their contours and their pallor,
or even on the floor, to emulate the ambi-
ence of a sculptor’s workshop.
Finding objects endowed with soul is
a passion that drives me every day. My
mother’s antique store, Coco & Co. in
Honfleur, is one of the places where I reg-
ularly discover treasures that I then find a
All photos © Pierre Musellec
place for at home.
Whenever I travel, espe-
cially to Italy and Portugal,
I always return with suitcases full of mar-
vellous finds.
For my work as an illustrator and
designer, they provide boundless inspira-
tion. Each of my creations and watercol-
ours says something about my world and
my memories. From Italy, for example, I
brought back silver ex-votos in the shape
of a hand, face, foot, and heart, from
which I had moulds made to reproduce
them in porcelain.
In Portugal, I was fascinated by registos,
ancient reliquaries with painted and dec-
orated frames of unimaginable refine-
ment; they constitute without a doubt my
biggest collection. I hung them together
to create a wonder wall along the stair-
case that leads upstairs.
They were my principal inspiration
in creating my “window of wonder”
decorations. Interspersed among them on
the wall are hearts that were once made
by nuns using plain cardboard embel-
lished with beads and embroidery. I’m
overcome by their simplicity and beauty.
Looking at them, I know that one day
they will inspire me to make something
new.
When I go antiquing, I never approach
it with a preconceived idea in mind. I rely
on coincidence and luck. The unexpect-
ed, curiosity, surprise, and the joy of
finding something: that’s what I look
Above and below left: the
remarkable collection of
Gaëtan Lanzani, where
visitors are greeted by
thousands of pieces of
furniture and accessories
from the Middle Ages to
the 1980s; left, portrait of
author Marin Montagut
w
rooms, which held collections of rare and
unusual objects, were found in the castles
and aristocratic homes of Central Europe
in the sixteenth century. My “wonders”
are more modest, but they have the
power to transport me elsewhere, and
to inspire me.
My interest in objects is not connected
to their value. They are often humble
tokens of everyday life and examples of
folk art. I find them moving because they
convey a soulfulness. The traces of pass-
ing time are visible on their worn surfac-
es. In them, I see history, heritage, and an
expertise that has now been forgotten or
lost. I even appreciate the flaws that make
them unique, singular, like the flecks on a
mercury mirror with pitted silvering, or
the faded colours and patina of a piece of
well-worn antique furniture.
Over the years, I have met many women
and men, antique dealers and enlightened
amateurs alike. Like a kid, I have been
captivated, moved, enchanted, and sur-
prised by some of their collections. The
idea for this book arose from those feel-
ings and unique atmospheres.
Gaëtan Lanzani, Prop and Scenery
Rental: Chairs, Decorative Items,
Furniture
Open the door to the courtyard of the
establishment Gaëtan Lanzani and enter
an unexpected world, a constantly chang-
ing cornucopia, where everything is for
rent and nothing is for sale.
everyday items to the most surprising
objects, fit for any curiosity cabinet.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted by
a vulture with outstretched wings sus-
pended above the entrance stairway.
Hanging on the walls, stuffed animal
heads, framed by dozens of cases of
mounted butterflies, call to mind a natu-
ral history museum. A warren of staircas-
es leads to a maze of corridors within a
3,000m2 labyrinth that holds an inventory
the Surrealists would covet.
The most astonishing collection com-
prises hundreds and hundreds of chairs,
piled together and stacked to the ceiling.
There are armchairs of all sorts: wing-
backs, cabriolets, marquises, ‘toi et moi’
or ‘confidant’ chairs, squat ‘crapaud’ arm-
chairs, club chairs; chairs made of wood,
rattan, or cane; some of them upholstered
with leather, or embroidered or brocaded
fabrics, or velvet. There are even untreat-
ed wooden chair frames. This incredible
assortment echoes the location’s original
function as a furniture manufacture.
The factory, founded in the 1930s by
Gaëtan Lanzani, an Italian who settled in
Paris near Faubourg Saint-Antoine, initial-
ly reproduced and restored period furni-
ture and seating. After the war, the film
industry turned to the Lanzani business
for set supplies. Over the years, the estab-
lishment gradually abandoned the manu-
facture and restoration of furniture and
began specialising exclusively in renting.
When decorators and designers come to

forward to on days when I head out
in search of new gems to showcase in
my house.
At home, I wanted to reinvent the spirit
of what the Germans call the wunder-
kammer, literally, ‘wonder room.’ These
Extracted from
Extraordinary Collections:
French Interiors, Flea
Markets, Ateliers by
Marin Montagut
(Flammarion, 2023).
Designers and decorators come here for
a wide variety of furniture and accesso-
ries for movies, television, fashion shows,
and other events. Here, professionals
have access to more than twenty thou-
sand objects. You can find anything, from
Lanzani nowadays, they know they’ll find
what they’re looking for. Whether it’s a
1900s bed frame, a wicker basket, or a
chest of hatboxes and leather suitcases
evoking the past, they are sure to find
the piece they need.
December 2023 I French Living connexionfrance.com Hidden histories 17

The art of glass in medieval Troyes

Medieval art historian Dr Julia Faiers 1 2
discovers the secrets of stained glass
in the church windows of Troyes
(Aube)

F
rom small beginnings as a
Gallo-Roman town called
Augustobona in the first century,
the city of Troyes enjoyed a
boom period in the Middle Ages.
The town expanded rapidly in the 12th
century, gaining new urban districts and,
of course, churches to serve the spiritual
needs of the burgeoning population.
storytelling in glass reaches another level.
Here, 16th-century windows recount the
story of the True Cross, of Saint Sebastian
(who was tied to a tree stump and pierced
by countless arrows), and a magnificent
vision of the Tree of Jesse made at the
very end of the 15th century. This win-
dow describes in fascinating detail the
genealogy of Christ; from a tree that

Photo: GFreihalter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 license

Troyes’ 12th-century expansion coincid-
ed with the emergence of Gothic archi-
tecture, a style developed by Abbot Suger
in the abbey of Saint-Denis near Paris.
The pioneering work at Saint-Denis
transformed church building over the
subsequent centuries, allowing for much
larger windows than was previously pos-
sible. And with this, the art of painting
grows directly from Jesse’s body spring
branches bearing the figures of 27
descendants of Jesse.
Nearly 125 years later, one of the last
glass painters of the Troyes’ workshops,
Linard Gontier, produced the now
famous Mystical Wine Press window in
1625. Here, from the body of Christ,
shown lying beneath a wine press, sprouts

Photo: Julia Faiers

pictures and telling stories in glass took
off in churches all over Christendom.
In the medieval period, the majority of
people were illiterate, yet they could see
and understand the rich complexity and
drama of the Christian message in the
windows of their local church. As well
as suffusing sacred spaces with ‘divine’
coloured light, stained-glass windows
provided a theological and spiritual edu-
cation not only for the townspeople in
the congregation, but for the clergy who
celebrated mass there.
Although Troyes suffered during the
Hundred Years War (1337-1453), pros-
perity returned towards the end of the
15th century, fuelling renovation pro-
grammes in the city’s cathedral and
parish churches. Troyes became widely
known during this period as a centre
for glass making.
At the cathedral of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint
Paul, the church of Sainte-Madeleine,
the church of Saint-Pantaléon, and the
basilica of Saint-Urbain, the whole of the
Christian story plays out in the windows
a vine with many branches – a vivid illus-
tration in glass of a verse from the Gospel
of St John, in which Christ proclaimed “I
am the vine, you are the branches.” And
to add to the visceral drama, the blood
squeezed from his body by the wine
press is collected in a chalice in the
foreground at the bottom of the 3 4
window, where it can easily be seen by
the congregation.
A 15-minute walk from the cathedral to
the church of Sainte-Madeleine rewards
the visitor with more spectacular stained
glass. The oldest church in Troyes, built
in the 12th century, had a major facelift
in the 16th century, including new win-
dows around the chevet (the area at the
east end). Look out for another rendition
of the Tree of Jesse, and to the right of the
apse, the richly detailed window that tells
the story of Christ’s Passion. Each panel
tells a separate story, including the Agony
in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Kiss of
Judas, and the Last Supper. And in the
prime spot at the bottom of the window,
portraits of the donors remind worship-
Photo: AG - Troyes La Champagne

made by the town’s workshops in the 15th pers of their generosity and piety.
and 16th centuries. Richly coloured win- And if you want to enjoy stained glass
dows from the 13th century illuminate outside of Troyes’ churches, visit the
the east end of the cathedral, representing recently refurbished Cité du Vitrail muse-

Photo: Julia Faiers

popes and emperors, and telling the story um (City of Stained Glass), which tells
of the Life of the Virgin. the story of stained glass from the 12th
In the nave, however, the luminous century all the way up to the present.

5 1. The spectacular rose window in the south transept

of Troyes cathedral, a 19th-century copy of the
15th-century north transept rose window.
How did medieval craftsmen 2. Troyes cathedral’s famous 17th-century window of

make stained-glass windows? the Mystical Wine Press, which involves Christ, a
wine press, vines, and blood.
Almost everything we know about making stained glass in the Middle Ages comes 3. A close-up of Jesse in the Tree of Jesse window
from a 12th-century German monk called Theophilus. In his text On Diverse Arts, in the church of Sainte-Madeleine. The base of a
Theophilus (who was an artist as well as a monk), wrote about what he learned tree grows from the stomach of Jesse, the father of
from watching glaziers and glass painters at work, so that he could create beautiful David, first king of Israel, with each branch showing
windows himself.
To molten glass (made from sand and wood ash) craftsmen added powdered metals the ancestors of Jesus.
in order to change the colour. The coloured molten glass was blown into a sausage 4. The Passion window in the church of Sainte-
shape, then slit before being flattened into a sheet. Artists made the intricate stained- Madeleine, made around 1490, depicts in vivid
glass windows in medieval churches by cutting the sheet glass into shapes. If the artist detail the stories of Jesus’s life.
wanted more detail, they painted them on the glass with black paint. 5. A close up of the Passion window in Sainte-
They placed the pieces of painted and coloured glass onto a design board, and
Madeleine, showing the bottom right panes
Photo: Julia Faiers

fitted them into strips of lead called cames. To make the panel secure, the cames were
soldered to one another, and the windows waterproofed by inserting putty in between with the kneeling donors Catherine Boucherat
the glass and the lead. The whole composition was then placed in an iron frame and and her daughters.
mounted in the window.
18 Puzzles connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2023

Bilingual cryptic crossword by Parolles

Answers are in French and English
Across
1 Courage shown by Scotland’s top football
club (6)
4 Left before one with a Shakespearean
heroine (6)
8 Surprisingly Glen ate a little lamb in Cannes (7)
9 Jack joins motorists looking around racing
vehicle in Indonesia’s capital (7)
11 Extraordinarily tall at her age and very
popular (3,3,4)
Down
1 Philosopher, for example, looking into the
abode of evil spirits endlessly (5)
2 Francine’s to warn girl about clergyman in
retreat (7)
3 Monet’s half-heartedly drawn me in hospital
department (9)
5 Nothing close to fury of a thunderstorm in
Nice (5)

Photo: Lee Walker_

12 Jean’s with Bill touring the heart of

Provence (4)
13 Run heading off she-bear in the French
Pyrenees (5)
14 Secretary Penny working to catch poor
butterfly in Nimes (8)
16 Baptiste’s to set off again with heartless
trapper to return to Ireland (8)
18 Helping to make more pasta for a meal in
Lyon (5)
20 Elodie’s proud even though returning with
hesitation (4)
21 Muslin and khaki originally stored in side
board by a fashioner of clothes (10)
23 Girl from California seen with a medieval
musical instrument (7)
24 Fellow in charge collecting books like an
automaton (7)
25 Looks at getting a wide playground device (6)
26 Mend broken rapier (6)
shutterstock
6 Devious rival at work in Rennes (7)
7 Rue fiat so absurd in the past in Grasse (9)
10 Kronenbourg’s to bring back a dark-brown
liquor after sharp criticism (9)
13 Jokes about English ships (3-6)
15 Submarine viewing aid in Marseille and
Middlesbrough (9)
17 Yvette’s back as sack repairer after pressure’s
off (7)
19 Current pastor about to take a loan out to get
mechanical music maker (7)
21 Lawyer taking tea in a country house in
Russia (5)
22 Hervé’s to watch closely for first of emigres
on jetty (5)

French-themed crossword by John Foley

Note all answers are words or names associated with France
Across
1 Centre-Val de Loire city where Jeanne d’Arc
has been honoured every first week of May
since 1432 (7)
4 Milieu des voleurs and other malfaiteurs (5)
7 Nicotine-rich plant (5)
9 Poison to avoid from animals such as
snakes (5)
10 Six months to go before this comes again? (3)
11 Dawn or a department in the Grand Est (4)
12 Jug for water or wine (6)
15 List of errors & corrections in printed
matter (6)
16 Historic Paris landmark housing some of the
world’s best-known art (6)
19 Gourde pour le potage (6)
20 Occitanie city famous for its cathedral, said
to be world’s largest brick building (4)
21 “Presque personne n’est assez ___ de péchés
pour ne pas mériter un châtiment” – Victor
Hugo (3)
23 At last, finally (5)
24 Période précédant Noël (5)
25 Cubic metre’s wood supply (5)
26 Marine fish of the family Engraulidae (7)
Solve the clues then unscramble the shaded letters to reveal un ancien poète
de langue d’Oc (10)
Down
1 And 14: remarks, whistles, etc., interdits et
punis by law since 2018 (8,8)
2 Historical capital of Gascony, now of the
Gers department (4)
3 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes department
famous for cheeses such as Beaufort
and Reblochon (6)
4 Paris mausoleum for distinguished citizens (8)
5 Writer Jean _____ best known for Les
Bonnes and Notre-Dame-des-Fleurs who
was born this month in 1910 (5)
6 French version of Charles Aznavour’s greatest
international hit (4)
8 Fictional elephant whose creator Jean de
Brunhoff was born this month in 1899 (5)
13 Steamed or braised – à l’________ (8)
14 See 1 down
17 Agglomeration peuplée de nombreux
habitants (5)
18 Carnet for daily notes (6)
19 Heavy cold or état grippal (5)
21 “Le patriotisme, c’est aimer son ____. Le
nationalisme, c’est detester celui des autres.” –
De Gaulle (4)
22 Layperson – not of the clergy (4)

Fun French facts Like our quiz?

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 December 2023 I French Living connexionfrance.com Puzzles 19
Toughnut No.No.22
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
Peers of the Realm

Photo: Collection Château Versailles/Wikimedia

the answer fits in the chance!
grid. To help the first letter of the answer is provided. Bonne chance! The French nobility no longer exists. Long live the French
provided. Bonne
nobility! Under the ancien regime the names of the higher
Find a location on the Monopoly board from the highlighted squares.
ranks of the Roman army came to be regarded as attached to
For more dual-language puzzles see www.crossmots.com
hereditary privilege. The Revolution abolished the privileges
A Kith (3) of the crusty old aristocracy on 23 June 1790 but Napoleon and
C Sweetie (5) the restored Bourbons created new titles in the 19th century.
E Aigle (5) Since the inauguration of the Third Republic on 4 September
E Water (3) 1870, all hereditary ranks of social superiority have had no
E Moteur (6) legal meaning. With respect (but not deference), anyone who
E Thereabouts (7) calls themselves anything more than “monsieur” because his/
E Même (4) her family can be traced back to the middle ages is putting on airs. A “de” in a surname, by the
E Oeil (3) way, can just as easily show pretensions to the aristocracy as genuine class.
F Thread (3) All that said, there is still a self-identifying nobility in France that maintains a sophisticated
G Pistolet (3) hierarchy. In case you want to know how low to bow or curtsy when you meet one of these
I Here (3) people, here is a short guide to the principle ranks you might encounter, in descending order.
I Intense (8) By Nick Inman
L Grand (5)
N Arose (3)
N Plume (3) 1. Duc (duke). Leaving aside “princes of the blood” this is the highest rank of the nobility. Of
O Opinion (7) the many dukedoms created over the centuries, most have become extinct but there are around
O Opens (5) 40 extant ones still, including the delightful title of the Duke of Cars (Duc de Cars). Note: it
P Pinch (6) would be impertinent to confuse the higher ranking “duc et pair” (duke and peer) with a “duc
P Tyres (5) simple” (ordinary duke).
P Problème (7)
Q Someone (8) 2. Marquis (marquess). The name derives from “ruler of a border area”. Perhaps the best-
Q Files d’attente (6) known fictional holder of the title is the Marquis de Carabas in Puss in Boots (popularised by
R Région (6) Charles Perrault) who is elevated to the nobility through the help of a cat more intelligent than
R Roar (11) he is. Certainly the most infamous man of this rank was the Marquis de Sade.
S Ferraille (5)
S Senate (5)
3. Comte (count). This is thought to be the oldest title of nobility historically speaking. It
was placed third in the pecking order by the authorities of the 19th century. Although Alexandre
S Whistle (7)
Dumas’ novel The Count of Monte Cristo is principally about France, the county in question is in
S Chante (5)
Italy.
S Compétence (5)
S Fils (3) 4. Vicomte (viscount). What now sounds rather grand began as a job title for an assistant
S Rigide (5) administrator of a province working under a count. Many vicomtés have merged with other
T Firing (3) titles over the centuries reducing the number claimed today. Several place names, have the word
U Invisible (6) incorporated in them such as Vaux-le-Vicomté (Seine-et-Marne).
U Utilisation (3)
U Worn (4) 5. Baron. It’s possible that the name derives from the Old English word for a warrior. In
V Worm (3) Brittany barons are considered of higher status than the rest of France. The philosopher
V Vidéos (6) Montesquieu, pictured above, was a baron. The Rothschilds are another famous baronial family.

Test your knowledge of France

For all answers
Guess the region...
France has 13 regions. Every issue we pick a spot,
all you need to do is work out which region it is in...
with our Connexion quiz
please turn to
French Living 1 A limited jury of just 600 readers is decid-
ing their version of the Prix Goncourt (to
10 Hendaye is the last town in France before
Spain and it has an SNCF train station and
page 24 be announced December 14) – but why one other station – what is it?
was the jury restricted? A – They are the
first 600 to buy each book, B – They are all 11 French trains run on the left – except in
in prison, C – They are from the authors’ one part of the country. Where?
Clue: Presidential secondary schools?
12 France’s TGV service started on 27
September 1981 on what line?
proximity 2 Allée Jojo in Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle,
is named for what ? A – A chimpanzee,
B – A local tramp, C – A player from AS 13 What is the claim to fame of the rail station
Nancy Lorraine football club? at Bolquère-Eyne, in Pyrénées-Orientales?

3 Which is the oldest bridge in Paris?
A – Pont Neuf, B – Pont Alexandre III,
C – Pont de la Concorde?
4 In 1875 Matthew Webb became the first man
to do what? A – Pose for a photograph,
B – Have a car accident in Paris, C – Swim
the English Channel without using aids?
5 This year mainland France has 34,816
what? A – New roundabouts,
B – Communes, C – New electric cars?
6 The 90 residents are called Ypsiloniens,
what is the commune’s name?
7 Veules-les-Roses in Seine Maritime has
been a tourist draw since the early 19th
century but the Veules river gives it what
singular claim to fame?
14 The Réseau Breton metre gauge railway
network started in 1891 and served central
Brittany with 427km of lines. Today only
one remains open; which is it?
15 Why is the Paris Metro underground
station at Gare d’Austerlitz different?
16 This French leader born on August 15,
1769 was the second son of Carlo and Letizia–
who was he?
17 Who were the Grognards?
18 Beethoven dedicated his Third Symphony
to Napoleon – the Bonaparte Symphony –
but later changed the name to what?
19 Why did Admiral Nelson and Napoleon
both share a particular view of their battles?

20 Napoleon was known to prefer a particular

Photo: Ruben Christen on Unsplash

8 Why do many manhole covers have the

town name Pont-à-Mousson on them? Burgundy wine, what was it?

9 What do the villages of Beaumont-en

Verdunois, Bezonvaux, Cumières-le-Mort- Profile
Homme, Fleury-devant-Douaumont,
Quiz by Ken Seaton who has lived and
Haumont-près-Samogneux and Louvemont
worked as a journalist in France since 2009
Côte-du-Poivre have in common?
20 Reviews
French films
A critical eye on new
releases and classics
Un conte de Noël (2008)
Dir: Arnaud Desplechin
EVERY few years we repeat our assertion
that one of our favourite French
Christmas films is Arnaud Desplechin’s
family drama, Un conte de Noël (A
Christmas Tale), which remains a must-
see this festive season (you can stream it
on Amazon Prime).
Perhaps its theme of a dysfunctional
family thrown together during the festive
season appeals to the British sensibility –
one critic at the time of its release, The
Guardian’s Philip French, compared it to
one of “those joyless, downbeat, yuletide
editions of EastEnders”!
As such, ‘festive’, is hardly the best way
to describe the film’s set-up: matriarch
Juno (the impeccable-as-ever Catherine
Deneuve, who last October celebrated
her 80th birthday) heads a fragmented
family. She and husband Abel have three
children in their thirties and she
announces to them that a few weeks ear-
lier she learned that she has leukaemia
and will soon die unless she receives a
bone marrow transplant.
Will they agree to be tested as potential
donors? Will they stop bickering long
enough? What unhappiness and lies lurk
amongst the offsprings’ relationships?
So many questions to ask, and much
deception to be uncovered... and all this
played out by an exceptional cast (Mathieu
Almaric, Emmanuelle Devos, Anne
Consigny, Melvil Poupaud among them).
Grab a glass of vin chaud and thank
Père Noël that this isn’t your own family!
Do you have a favourite French
Christmas film? Let us know: email
editor@connexionfrance.com.
Stream: Lupin
Netflix’s third season of the superb Lupin,
starring Omar Sy as the suave gentleman
thief Assane Diop who is France’s most
wanted man, is now streaming.
French phrases featuring our four-legged friends
Language notes
T
his column has previously
featured some of the most
popular (and charming)
French phrases that refer
to dogs in order to express
certain human situations or emotions.
Perhaps the best known is “Les chiens
ne font pas des chats” (Dogs do not make
cats), which is used when expressing the
notion that we inherit most of our key
personality or aesthetic traits from our
parents – “the apple doesn’t fall far from
the tree” is the closest English equivalent.
Travelling in the other linguistic direc-
tion, there is one obvious trap to avoid:
the English phrase “it’s raining cats and
dogs” does not have the feline/canine
equivalent in French. Instead, they would
say “il pleut des cordes” (literally “it's rain-
ing rope”). If you ever uttered “il pleut des
connexionfrance.com
Music
Francis Cabrel Un morceau de Sicre
AN hors-norme music rec-
ommendation this issue, in
that our listening pleasure
features not an album or
boxset re-release, but a
vinyl-only 45in single.
The singer is Francis
Cabrel, the Lot-et-Garonne
songwriting heavyweight
with some spectacular
album sales to his name
Books - The 20 minute review
We read recent releases with a link to France. To be fair, each gets 20 minutes’ reading time
Christmas Holiday,
W Somerset Maugham,
Vintage Classics, €12.32;
009928658
ALTHOUGH he was British,
W Somerset Maugham was born
in Paris in 1874, spent much of his
life travelling, used Cap Ferrat as a
base, and died in 1965 at the age of
91 in Nice.
As a result, his writing about
France is effortlessly authentic,
although sometimes quite dark.
'Christmas Holiday', published in
1939, contains a dark warning of
what is to come.
The hero, Charley Mason, is bright-
eyed and bushy-tailed, fresh out of
Cambridge University when he
arrives in Gay Paree expecting a fun
and festive jaunt. But his old friend Simon
is now an impoverished journalist rooting
for a Communist revolution and trying
Editor’s
to eradicate his finer feelings in order to
be ready for the struggle. He introduces
choice
Charley to a Russian prostitute with a
murky ex-lover called Robert who kills
for the fun of it. Charley begins to see
his sheltered, complacent life in the UK
through new eyes.
This probably isn't Maugham's best work, but it's an interest-
ing look at whether people get more happiness from intellectual
ideas or from carefree socialising blissfully unaware of unseen
menaces. It is also an interesting study of Russian politics as
seen from Paris, which is all too relevant today.
Maugham's writing style is elegant and crystalline, his ideas
flowing uninterrupted through each sentence. This would not
make a good present for someone wanting a frivolous, unde-
manding read about a romance under a the Eiffel Tower, but
ideal for someone who appreciates good writing, and likes to
ponder new ideas.
chats et chiens”, you would get a strange
look from a befuddled French person.
There are lots of lesser known, even
extinct, doggy-based phrases that evoke a
certain sense of humour tied with a neat
subtext. For example, “Epouser un chien
coiffé” dates way back to the 16th century.
It translates as “To marry the first nicely
coiffed dog” and was used to refer to one
or other of a pair of newlyweds who failed
“
to find a suitable life partner until their
latter years, when they plumped for the
first person who did their hair nicely.
As it is fairly disrespectful to the ‘dog’
in question (be they male or female) it is
barely used these days.
Another gem of a phrase is used to
It is fairly describe a miser, who “n’attache pas son
chien avec des saucisses” (Does not not tie
disrespectful his dog up with [a chain of] sausages, the
implication being that the dog would
to the ‘dog’ merely eat the bangers, escape and –
unthinkably for the tight-fisted owner –
in question he would have to buy more sausages.
French Living I December 2023
(1994 long-player Samedi soir sur terre
shifted nearly 4million copies alone, and
featured the superb guitar ballad Je t’aimais,
je t’aime et je t’aimerai).
The song, a folky shuffle in the classic
Cabrel style, is entitled Un morceau de Sicre
– a play on ‘un morceau de sucre’ (a piece of
sugar). It is a sweet tribute to both Cabrel’s
friend, the singer Claude Sicre (76 years old)
who sings in the Occitan language, and
Toulouse, Sicre’s home city. One of the
Life in a French Country House,
Cordelia de Castellane,
Rizzoli, €43.36;
ISBN: 0847870936
WHEN you know that
Cordelia de Castellane is
the artistic director of
Dior Home and Baby
Dior, you will know why
this coffee table book is
so beautiful. Matthieu
Salvaing has taken photo-
graphs for Condé Nast
Traveller, World of
Interiors, and is the author of the book 'Interior
Voyages'. His images are absolutely stunning.
Just dive into them for a delicious session of
fantasy house-hunting, or even inspiration for
your own artistic efforts.
Cordelia de Castallane gives helpful tips for
living in a country house that apparently looks
like a film set during all four seasons of the
year. (There is no mud on her wellies, or dog
sick on her gleaming floors, of that you may
be sure!). Divided into four seasons, there are
recipes, interior design, flower arrangements,
and remarks about what constitutes French
style when it comes to entertaining. All this is
sprinkled with reminiscences about her glam-
orous lifestyle and famous friends.
This isn't really a book for reading, however,
it's more like a fairytale picture book for
grown-ups offering a glimpse into a world that
does not exist, even for the author. (How could
it, Cordelia de Castellane has four children!).
But it's nice to dream and sometimes the
ideas really can be used to transform a table
setting or a flower arrangement from merely
pretty to pretty stunning. Beautifully printed
on high quality paper, this is a book to treasure
for years to come.
Linguists on bended genous for reform
The French you don’t
learn at school
A
collective featuring some of
France’s leading linguistic
lights have written an open
letter to the newspaper Le
Monde pleading for a more
adaptable approach to French spelling, in a
bid to simplify certain words and improve
the ever-declining spelling ability amongst
the country’s school pupils.
Several dozen linguists, teachers, aca-
demics and cultural figures (including
Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux) are
requesting a much wider application of
the Académie Française’s (non-binding)
1990 update on correct spellings (includ-
ing doing away with the circumflex and
oignon becoming ognon).
“Reforming spelling does not mean
reforming the language”, said the letter.
prettiest lines is “Tu mets un morceau de
Sicre dans ton café noir” (You put a piece
of Sicre in your black coffee).
Cabrel told Nostalgie: “Admitting that I
am going to stop singing in a few years’
time, I wanted to do a round-up of all the
people I wanted to thank.”
The colour vinyl single, with sleeve
designed by Cabrel, is published by Baboo
Music, the little label that Cabrel formed
with his family in his village of Astaffort.
Death and Papa Noël,
Ian Moore,
Publisher: Farrago, €12.32
ISBN: 1788424255
THIS novella
from Ian Moore is
one of a series of
cosy mystery mur-
der stories in the
vein of Agatha
Christie, but with
more laughs. An
ideal stocking fill-
er, it would be an
ideal companion
for an afternoon spent book-worming
on the sofa. Because of its short
length, it would be easy to finish it in
one sitting.
Our protagonist, Richard Ainsworth,
is happily looking forward to a peace-
ful solo Christmas in the Loire Valley.
There are no guests staying at his
B&B, so he plans to indulge in all his
favourite festive television. His plans
are thwarted however, when Valérie
d'Orçay turns up from Paris with her
teacup dog and an invitation to a mur-
der game.
Richard inevitably ends up dressed
as Santa and, as it becomes clear that
some people are playing the game
more literally than others, taking the
lead as chief sleuth. Of course we
know that he'll solve the mystery in
the end, with lots of jokes along the
way, because when he's not writing,
Ian Moore is a stand-up comedian.
Other books in the series include
Death and Fromage, Death at the
Chateau and Death and Croissants.
“You can be good at French, with its rich
vocabulary, creativity and argumentation,
and bad at spelling. And this is increasing-
ly the case today.” It continues: “The opaci-
ty of our spelling is partly to blame. And
the time spent teaching its quirks and
inconsistencies comes at the expense of
creative writing and comprehension.”
So which ‘quirks’ are in their crosshairs?
Two proposed reforms are the simplifica-
tion of the passé composé tense used with
the verb avoir, with the participle remain-
ing invariable. This would mean for exam-
ple, that “la soupe que tu as cuite” (the soup
you cooked) would become “la soupe que
tu as cuit” (ie no ‘e’ on the end of cuit).
The second reform proposes that the
unpronounced ‘s’ at the end of plurals
would stay but an ‘s’ would replace the
‘x’ on the plurals of words such as hibou
(owl), caillou (stone) and genou (knee).
“We advocate deleting letters that have
no function but add complexity to learn-
ing,” concluded the collective.
December 2023 I French Living connexionfrance.com
QUOI DE NEUF?
New products, designs and ideas from around France
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LOOKING FOR a gift idea for the wine-lover in your
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It is the work of Domitille Vichatsky, the founder of
Graphiste de Famille, whose illustrations on different
themes and media are printed and packaged in her
Nantes workshop. She also accepts bespoke illustration
commissions such as the family one below, for €100.
Carte des Vignobles de France, priced €19.99
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Myth and magic
PARISIAN jewellery company Collection
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meticulous work with precious metals,
which was a true revelation.’ And so
began her bijoux-making venture...
She designs pieces that reflect the
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as ‘role models of strength, wisdom,
and femininity.’ Inspired by the gold-
working traditions of the period,
her brass pieces are shaped, matted,
brushed or polished to give them the
desired appearance and have a three-year
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Sample price: green Hera bracelet,
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www.collectionconstance.com/en
Shopping/Did you know? 21
The creation of the Republic of
Saugeais started out as a joke
France’s other republics:
megalomania or fun?
Did you know?
F
rance and its Republic are
actually the fertile ground for
a myriad of inner ‘microstates’
and Republics founded for
various purposes.
Its most famous is the République du
Saugeais, founded in 1947 and reigning
over 11 municipalities of the Haut-
Doubs in the Doubs department),
or the Principality of Aigues-Mortes
in the Gard.
But France counts many others with
no legal recognition.
These include the self-proclaimed
Basse-Chesnaie’s empire (Ille-et-
Vilaine), the Principauté de Laàs
(Pyrénées-Atlantiques), Hélianthis
(Gironde), Figuerolles (Bouches-du-
Rhône), the République de Montmartre
(Paris) or the Angyalistan empire.
More than 20 of them reunite at the
Organisation de la microfrancophonie,
an association for the promotion of such
states founded in 2016. While they have
not been counted up, the organisation
told The Connexion it believes France
counts about 50 around its territory.
“The aim is to promote our territory.
It is apolitical and has no interest in
meddling with religion,” said Vincent
Merchadou, the prince of Hélianthis
and a civil servant at Cenon’s mairie,
whose Principality began as a joke
between friends on June 1, 2013.
That joke turned into a more serious
adventure. Mr Merchadou was crowned
prince Vincent I during an official two-
hour-long ceremony at Blaye’s citadel
last August 5 to mark the tenth year of
the principality’s existence. His empire
Photo: geoterranaute
is centred around Blaye and its sur-
rounding municipalities.
Humour is a major component behind
the establishment of such nations,
republics or Principalities. The
République du Saugeais started from a
joke as well, much like the République
de Montmartre in 1920.
Megalomania is another, particularly
in the case of Frank Samson, 56, a
French lawyer with an infatuation for
Napoleon – and his official doppel-
ganger during Napoleonic battle
reconstitutions.
Mr Samson reigns over the empire of
Basse-Chesnaie as its emperor Franck-
Marc the first. His empire? His one-
hectare house in Saint-Thual, 35
kilometres north of Rennes.
Others have more poetic goals such as
Olivier Touzeau, 50, the emperor of the
empire of Angyalistan or the juxtaposi-
tion of angyal – angel in Hungarian –
and the suffix -stan (location in Farsi).
His territory? The horizon, an unfath-
omable limit that coerces Mr Touzeau
into an emperor in eternal exile.
“What lies behind these grotesque
impetuses that give rise to laughter? We
look to defend universalism, fraternity
and respect of the surrounding world.
These are our values,” said Frédéric C.,
one of Mr Touzeau’s ministers in an
interview with Le Monde.
Many, however, are also founded on
shadier grounds, often tax-evasion tac-
tics or scam passport companies for
immigrants.
More than 400 micronations are
reported around the world. The United
States has the famous Conch or Lakota
Republics while the United Kingdom
has Austenasia, the empire of Adammia,
The People’s Republic of Podjistan or
the Principality of Sealand.
22 History connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2023

Marguerite Durand: France’s

very first feminist journalist
Samantha David reveals the backstory of 19th-century feminist Marguerite Durand, a former actress
who worked her way up the ranks to found a daily newspaper written and produced entirely by women

M
arguerite Durand’s life weapon, a publication which would affirm

(1864-1936) straddled
a period of dramatic
change. When she was
born, Napoleon III was
in power, the American Civil War was
ongoing, and women did not have careers.
By the time she died, women were estab-
lishing themselves in all sorts of profes-
sions. This was partly as a result of the loss
of young men during WW1 and partly
due to women like Marguerite Durand,
who did so much to liberate women from
nurseries and kitchens.
Born in Paris, she was educated at a con-
vent and in 1879 (aged 15), won a place at
the Conservatoire National Supérieur de
Musique et de Danse. This was not a con-
ventional choice for a well brought up
young lady from a middle-class family. She
received good marks, and after graduating
she joined the Comédie-Française, playing
a variety of ‘innocent young girl’ roles.
She left in 1888 to marry a lawyer and
politician called Georges Laguerre. Her
husband was a great supporter of a move-
ment led by the political mover and shaker
Georges Boulanger.
This entry into the world of politics and
journalism led Marguerite Durand to
begin writing articles for the press. It was
a way for a woman to contribute to public
life, and to have a voice in the world.
“Marguerite Durand was a woman aware
of the power of her beauty,” says historian
Mary Louise Roberts. “She knew she could
walk into a room and turn the heads of
well-known men. At the same time, she
suffered from the reputation most actress-
es garnered, of being readily ‘available’ as
mistresses or prostitutes. She wanted
respectability and middle-class status.”
After Boulanger committed suicide in
1891, she turned away from Boulangisme,
and left her husband. She began working
at Le Figaro, writing a column
called Courrier (Post). She
divorced her husband in
1895 (divorce had been
legalised in 1885), and
a year later in August
1896, gave birth to
her son Jacques,
whose father,
Photos: left, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain, and inset, Pierpont Morgan Library, Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand
their abilities, not only dealing with femi-
nist issues, but enabling them to become
professional journalists. The publication
would be called La Fronde.
Marguerite left Le Figaro, and the first
edition of La Fronde appeared in
September 1897. Everything, from report-
ing to type-setting, had been done by
women. The articles dealt with general
news including politics, literature, sport,
finance, and the Dreyfus Affair. (The
paper was a firm Dreyfus supporter). The
female reporters had to obtain special per-
mission to access places like the Assemblée
Nationale and the Bourse de Paris from
which all women were normally banned.
“Her work at La Fronde was double,”
says Mary Louise Roberts. “On one level
she wanted to make feminism respectable
by making it the business of mainstream,
middle-class and attractive women (rather
than the somewhat eccentric types she
considered feminists), and on another
level, her interest in the paper was to make
herself respectable too. She went to great
lengths to make the offices correctly bour-
geois and feminine. And she hosted par-
ties which were highly valued by bour-
geois and upper-class men. Feminism gave
her respectability, while she made femi-
nism respectable: that was the formula.”
La Fronde was a daily paper until 1905,
when it became monthly. It ceased publi-
cation in 1905, and during its lifetime gave
space to a wide range of female writers
and reporters. In 1903, Marguerite
Durand was a co-founder of the socialist,
anti-clerical daily L’Action, alongside jour-
nalist Henry Bérenger and defrocked
priest Victor Charbonnel.
In 1904, during the centenary of the
publication of Napoleon’s Code Civil, she
took the opportunity to attack it fiercely.
“There is not a woman who should not
curse the Code. There is not a
woman, rich or poor, a great
lady or a worker, who in her
poverty or her wealth, con- Above, Marguerite outskirts of Paris) along with a lawyer
cerning herself, her chil- Durand pictured in called Georges Harmois. It is still in use
dren, her work or her 1910; inset, a hand today, and can be visited by the general
leisure, has not suffered fan once held by public.
or will not suffer thanks suffragettes in Durand was indefatigable. In 1907, she
to the Code.” The Code France, now housed organised a Congress on Women’s Work,

Antonin Périvier, was
one of the directors of
Le Figaro.
Evidently their rela-
tionship was not harmoni-
ous, because records show that
Périvier took the almost-newborn
baby from his mother, forcing her to
ask the Republican politician Georges
Clemenceau for legal help in order to
recover her son.
She was by this time a committed femi-
nist, having been sent to cover the 1896
International Feminist Congress in Paris,
where she refused to write the negative
articles her editor had requested.
“I was struck by the logic of their argu-
ments,” she said in 1935. “Their [the femi-
nists] struggle was justified.” She described
how she had the idea to give women a
Civil specified that mar-
ried women should legal-
ly be considered as
minors, that the husband
was the head of the family and
could direct everything as he saw
fit, including where the family lived, how
children were educated, and how money
was spent. Women had no legal status,
they could not witness documents, nor
could they sell or buy domestic items; they
were legally obliged to obey their hus-
bands. Rape was not legally recognised
within marriage. (Marital rape was only
criminalised in 1996 in France, and the
status of a man as ‘head of the family’
remained in force until 1970. Women
finally won the vote in 1944).
In 1899, Marguerite Durand co-founded
the animal cemetery in Asniéres (on the
“
in the Bibliothèque and attempted to found an Office for
Marguerite Durand Women’s Work within the Ministry of
Employment. In 1909, she was involved
in setting up another publication called
Les Nouvelles and she was constantly
committed to the suffragette cause, forever
arguing that women should not only have
She was always the right to vote but should also be able to
run for office and be elected. As part of
arguing that women the struggle, she presented herself as an
electoral candidate, knowing that she
should not only have would be refused.
In 1914, even though she felt that femi-
the right to vote but nism and pacifism went hand in hand, she
re-launched La Fronde for several editions,
should also be able with an editorial line encouraging women
to find ways to support the war. She saw it
to run for office and as an opportunity for women to prove
their capabilities in fields normally closed
be elected to them, including industry, agriculture,
December 2023 I French Living
medicine, and transport. In Britain,
women won the vote in November
1918. French women, however, were
still denied the vote, and both abor-
tion and the advertising of contracep-
tion were banned in 1920.
In 1918, she became involved in the
defence of the feminist, Hélène Brion,
a teacher, a pacifist and a union mem-
ber who wrote La Voie Féministe.
Brion had been arrested and jailed for
‘defeatist propaganda’ during the war,
and was considered generally suspect
because she often wore ‘men’s clothes’
(trousers). The case became some-
thing of a stage for feminist argu-
ments about the rights of women.
In 1922, Durand organised an exhi-
bition of famous 19th-century women
to finance the creation of a club for
female journalists, who were at that
time excluded from male clubs. When
a feminist colleague called Séverine
died, she bought her house in
Pierrefonds and turned it into a sum-
mer home for women journalists.
She attempted to re-launch La
Fronde between 1926 and 1928 with
a mixed editorial team, using it as a
voice for the Republican Socialist
party that she supported. In 1927, she
presented herself again for election.
In 1931, she gave her library and all
its papers and documents to the city
of Paris, creating the first Office de
Documentation Féministe Français,
which she managed as an unpaid
volunteer until her death in 1936.
The BMD library (Bibliothèque
Marguerite Durand) still exists today.
It also houses a bust of Marguerite
Durand sculpted by Léopold
Bernstamm in 1897.
“I researched my book, Disruptive
Acts: The New Woman in fin-de-siècle
France at the Bibliothèque Marguerite
Durand, and at the Fonds Marie-
Louise Bouglé at the Bibliothèque
historique de la ville de Paris,” notes
Mary Louise Roberts.
Marguerite Durand is buried at
the Batignolles cemetery in Paris.
connexionfrance.com Local history 23
Photos: top, Celette/Wikimedia, public domain; bottom, Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand; inset, bnf/Gallica
The Provencal village with
more than 500 crèches
Every year, the village of Lucéram in Alpes-Maritimes displays
hundreds of lovingly created public nativity scenes. Annaliza
Davis discovers its festive history and year-round attractions
Secret history of villages
I
n Alpes-Maritimes (06), 27km
north of Nice, the picturesque
village of Lucéram appears as a
cluster of terracotta-topped houses
overlooking the surrounding valley.
It is a village perché, a ‘perched’ village,
constructed on a high point in a strategic
defensive position, similar to several
other villages in the Alps. In other
aspects, however, it is far from ordinary.
Despite being home to fewer than 1,300
residents, Lucéram is famous for having
more crèches than any other village in the
country, and this does not mean chil-
dren’s nurseries, but Christmas nativity
scenes. Across France, you will see model
replicas of the nativity arranged in
churches, schools and public spaces
like town squares. Some
towns even organise a
full-scale crèche
vivante, a live-
action affair
with adult
actors. In this
small medieval
village, howev-
er, the festive
celebrations
revolve around
Top, the Bibilothèque a circuit of up
Marguerite Durand to 500 nativity
in Paris; above, a scenes, placed
portrait of Durand in the streets, on
in 1898 and, inset, window ledges, in
her publication barns and even in the
La Fronde village bread oven.
This Circuit des Crèches is an
annual event proudly organised by the
Maison de Pays de Lucéram, starting on
December 2 and continuing until a grand
closing ceremony on January 7 at 18:00.
Now in its 26th year, the tradition started
when a Provencal nativity scene was dis-
played behind the Chapelle Saint-Pierre,
which in 1996 grew to include over 100
figures dressed to represent former trades
in period costume. This display was
featured on the front page of the publica-
tion Nice Matin and attracted a number
of tourists.
Since then, the Circuit des Crèches has
expanded, welcoming over 50,000 visitors
every year. During last year’s event,
83-year-old villager Désirée Vivaldi
explained that she had created or helped
Photos: Maison de Pays de Lucéram
Away in a manger: one
of Lucéram’s many
elaborate crèches
with at least 10 of the 500 scenes. “I love
this,” she shared, “seeing my village all
decorated, beautiful and lit-up like this,
I’m absolutely delighted.”
A true crèche should depict Mary,
Joseph and the baby Jesus, the ox and
donkey from the manger, and will often
include the three kings and shepherds.
The crèches in Provence traditionally use
santons, which are small figures made of
clay that depict ordinary people on their
way to pay homage to Christ. Look out
for figures representing the local mayor,
priest and the fada (fool), who symbolis-
es simple delight at Christ’s birth.
Some of the most precious examples of
crèche scenes are preserved in the Maison
de Pays de Lucéram, which is open to
visitors throughout the year. Even if you
cannot make it to the main event, you
can still experience the microscopic
detail of some of the classic nativity
scenes from the past 25 years. It
is worth visiting at any time.
This rocky outcrop was
once topped by a
medieval chateau and
ramparts, and you
can see traces as
you explore, par-
ticularly of the
tower ruins. In
the late 1400s,
Lucéram was one
of the stops along
the route du sel
salt-trading route,
and many of its archi-
tectural gems date from
this prosperous period.
Construction started on Sainte-
Marguerite church in 1487, and its
stunning interior was created in 1763,
in the highly decorative and colourful
Rococo-Italian style. There are also two
chapels in the village, the Notre-Dame-
du-Bon-Cœur and Chapelle Oratoire
Saint-Grat, both of which boast impres-
sive wall paintings and are classed as
Historic Monuments.
This village feels like it is harbouring
a hidden secret, with winding alleyways
that disappear around corners, cobbled
streets and high walls that seem to shelter
you from the modern world. Take time to
explore the medieval structures and rem-
nants of daily life such as the old lavoirs,
communal stone troughs where villagers
would gather to wash their clothes and
catch up on the latest gossip.
24 The big picture connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2023

Glimpse the future of history in Lyon

The renovated Museum

Photos: © Musée d’Histoire de Lyon/ Muriel Chaulet

of History in Lyon
provides a modern
take on the past, says
Samantha David

T
he newly re-vamped Musée
d’Histoire de Lyon is not to
everyone’s taste. “Older people
hate our new permanent
exhibitions,” says Lucie Drag-
on-Blanchard, their PR manager. “Before,
the displays were very old fashioned,
there were lots of sculptures of old white
men. Now, it is completely different, and
the museum reflects the whole of society
instead of just one small part of it.”
The four new permanent displays are
bright, interactive and fun. They are all
accessible to everyone but each has been
designed with a specific target group
in mind.
The first is aimed at visitors wanting an
overall understanding of the city’s history.
“Lyon is a UNESCO heritage site because
all the historical layers of the city are
visible; the Roman Amphitheatre, Vieux
Lyon dating from the Middle Ages, the
silk workers’ Canuts quarter, the 18th
century boulevards, the 19th century
construction of Notre-Dame de Four-
vière, the industrial expansion in the 20th
century and most recently the develop-
ment of the Confluences area between
the two rivers which flow through the
city, the Saône and the Rhône.” fish swimming upriver.” Above: The museum immigrants to Lyon. In order to bring
This is in stark contrast to most cities, The third exhibition aims to be particu- breaks with tradition these stories to life, we hired actors to
where old buildings have been successive- larly interesting for young people between to present many play the roles of various inhabitants we
ly cleared to make way for new ones. 12-16. It concentrates on the history of aspects of Lyon’s researched, and then we filmed each one
The second exhibition is particularly industry and work in Lyon, looking at the history in a contem- talking about their experiences.”
aimed at children and focuses on these silk industry that contributed to the city’s porary style; right: These documentary talking heads-style
two rivers and the role of waterways wealth, and the new industries leading the there is much for displays are very popular, especially with
in the city’s development. “In the past way in Lyon including pharmaceuticals, younger visitors younger visitors to the museum. The aim
the rivers were very central to the city biotech, banking and chemical industries. to enjoy of the exhibition is to encourage young
but after the catastrophic floods in the “We hope to inspire young people who people who are becoming eligible to vote
1930s, works were undertaken to prevent are just starting to explore the world of to take part in political life, to vote, to
flooding and the city in some way turned work and think about their future careers. have their say, and to join associations
its back on them. That is now changing. Feedback from this age group and lobby groups so that their voices
The riverbanks have been restored and has been really positive.” are heard.
pollution cleaned up.” The fourth exhibition, which opens this The museum, which is housed in a
The exhibition also deals with the month (December 2023) is aimed at peo- beautiful building in Vieux Lyon, was
natural world around the waterways, ple aged 18-25 and deals with civil society founded in 1921 and a century later still fascinating.” The displays stretch over
and how the city is trying to get fish back in Lyon. “We highlight what people have aims to be relevant. “History is being 33 different rooms covering 1,100 m2
into the water. “The problem is no longer achieved in the past, including political researched all the time, we are constant- of space. See the museum’s website for
pollution but the 19 dams between Lyon leaders, unionists, and artists. We look ly having to re-evaluate what we know opening hours and ticket prices:
and the Mediterranean, which prevent at the feminist struggle and the lives of about the past. That is what makes it so www.gadagne-lyon.fr/en/mhl
A AMI,
Quiz answers from page 19 Answers from page 18 and 19 C CHÉRI,
C CONSEQUENCE,
E EAGLE,
1. B – Because they are all in prison. The Goncourt des Détenus sees 500 prisoners from 40 jails Guess the region Toughnuts E EAU,
reading the 16 works on the shortlist 2. A – The chimp was a well-known and well-liked part The Christmas market on Place Rihour, Lille (Hauts-de- E ENGINE,
E ENVIRON,
of daily life in the city’s Parc Pépinière, where he would smoke cigarettes offered by passers-by. France) is adjacent to the main square, Place du Général de E EVEN,
He died in 2012 aged 60 3. C – Pont Neuf, where building started in May 1578 under Hen- Gaulle – named for the city’s most famous son. E EYE,
ri III 4. C – In 1875 he swam for 21hr40min before being able to land at Cap Gris Nez. It F FIL,
Bilingual cryptic crossword G GUN,
took five hours to beat the currents and, in all, he swam 66km to cover the 34km distance Across: 1 Hearts, 4 Portia, 8 Agnelet, 9 Jakarta, 11 All the I ICI,
5. B – Communes. But while there is a growing push towards amalgamating small communes rage, 12 Avec, 13 Ourse, 14 Papillon, 16 Répartir, 18 Repas,
I IN,
to share resources the number dropped by only 10 in 2023 6. Y in Somme, lies 50km east of I INTENSES,
20 Fier, 21 Dressmaker, 23 Rebecca, 24 Robotic, 25 Seesaw, L LARGE,
Amiens 7. It is the shortest fleuve in France. A fleuve is a river that runs from its source to 26 Repair. N NÉE,
the sea and the Veules rises in a cress field in the town before running 1km 149m to the sea N NIB,
Down: 1 Hegel, 2 Avertir, 3 Tièdement, 5 Orage, 6 Travail, O OPINION,
8. They were made in the Pont-à-Mousson foundry there, today called Saint-Gobain PAM O OUVRE,
which makes about a million each year 9. They have a mayor but no residents. They were 7 Autrefois, 10 Rapporter, 13 One-liners, 15 Périscope, P PINCÉE,
destroyed in the First World War and rebuilding is impossible due to unexploded muni- 17 Arrière, 19 Pianola, 21 Dacha, 22 Epier. P PNEUS,
P PROBLEM,
tions. The government made them monuments to the fallen in 1919 10. The Euskotren, a line French-themed crossword Q QUELQU’UN,
owned by the Basque government that runs to San Sebastian 11. Alsace-Moselle, as it was Across: 1 Orléans, 4 pègre, 7 tabac, 9 venin, 10 été, Q QUEUES,
German when rail transport was being developed 12. Paris to Lyon, which took 2hr 40min R REGION,
11 aube, 12 pichet, 15 errata, 16 Louvre, 19 courge, R RUGISSEMENT,
instead of the four hours previously 13. It is France’s highest. At 1592m it is used by the Train Jaune 20 Albi, 21 pur, 23 enfin, 24 Avent, 25 stère, S SCRAP,
on the Ligne de Cerdagne 14. The Carhaix-Guingamp-Paimpol line, which has been converted 26 anchois. S SÉNAT,
to the standard 1.435m gauge 15. It is under the roof of the mainline Gare d’Austerlitz station Solution No.22 (MONOPOLY) S SIFFLET,
Down: 1 outrages, 2 Auch, 3 Savoie, 4 Panthéon, S SINGS,
16. Napoleon 17. Soldiers who made up Napoleon’s Vielle Garde (Old Guard). They were S SKILL,
5 Genet, 6 elle, 8 Babar, 13 étouffée, 14 sexistes, S SON,
veterans and all were tall 18. Eroica (Heroic). Beethoven admired Napoleon as a champion
17 ville, 18 agenda, 19 crève, 21 pays, 22 laïc. S STIFF,
of freedom but changed the symphony name as he was disgusted that Napoleon made himself T TIR,
emperor 19. Because they both had eye problems. Nelson had lost the sight in one eye and Unscrambled letters: troubadour U UNSEEN,
Napoleon was myopic, or short-sighted 20. Gevrey-Chambertin, although many wine experts U USE,
Fun French facts U USÉS,
today believe it was more a style of wine from Côte de Nuits than a specific vineyard. 1 Plane trees, 2 The Tarn river, 3 Nîmes. V VER,
V VIDÉOS.
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com Practical 21

‘Risky’ cold medicines remain Students help seniors shop

ELDERLY people are getting a signing up, students arrange

on sale despite advice not to use

helping hand with their shop- to meet the clients at a
ping from students, thanks to Compagnons d’Emplettes-
an innovative service. labelled stand at a participating
Les Compagnons d’Emplettes, supermarket, and accompany
or Shopping Companions, was them around the store.
PEOPLE are advised not to use several launched in 2022 by start-up Supermarkets pay a monthly
over-the-counter decongestant cold medi- Medications affected: Mains d’Argent (mainsdargent. subscription for the service,
cines on sale in France due to possible n Actifed Rhume (Cold) fr), founded by entrepreneur which aims to improve the
side-effects, including strokes and heart n Actifed Rhume (Cold) day and night Héloïse Lamotte. experience of older shoppers,
attacks. However, the drugs cannot be n Dolirhume paracetamol It brings together pensioners as well as reduce queues at tills.
banned without European Union approval. and pseudoephedrine who want some help and com- To date, more than 1,000
The items include the popular cold reme- n Dolirhumepro (pictured, paracetamol pany while doing their shop- elderly people have benefited
dies DolirhumePro, RhinAdvil Rhume, pseudoephedrine and doxylamine) ping at the supermarket, and and 10 E.Leclerc supermarkets
Nurofen Rhume and Actifed Rhume. n Humex Rhume (Cold) students aged 18-30 who want have signed up, with outlets in

Photo: Scheenagh Harrington

In February, the French medicines agen-
cy called for pseudoephedrine, a chemical
used in decongestants, to be reassessed at
European level to determine whether its
benefits outweigh the risks.
The agency recently issued its strongest
warning to date over treatments contain-
ing pseudoephedrine, many of which are
available without prescription.
It said people with a cold should not take
over-the-counter decongestant tablets.
These typically combine the drug with
paracetamol, ibuprofen and/or antihista-
mines such as doxylamine, chlorphenam-
ine, triprolidine or diphenhydramine.
The agency, which also cited support
from professional bodies for generalist and
ENT doctors and pharmacists’ unions, also
stated that the risks are increased if you
take these drugs at the same time as pre-
scription decongestant nasal sprays.
Both medications relieve congestion and
clear up blocked noses, as pseudoephed-
rine is a ‘vasoconstrictor’, a chemical that
causes blood vessels in the nose, as well as
all over the body, to dilate slightly.
However, people who have an existing
heart problem could face serious side-
n Nurofen Rhume (Cold and Flu)
n Rhinadvil Rhume (Cold, pictured,
ibuprofen and pseudoephedrine)
n Rhinadvilcaps Rhume (Cold, ibupro-
fen and pseudoephedrine)
effects, including a stroke or heart attack. discuss taking over-the-counter
National Agency for the Safety of Medi- deconges­tants with their pharmacist.
cines (ANSM) said: “The risk is very low ANSM has long campaigned to limit the
but these events can occur, regardless of use of decongestants, banning their advert-
dose and duration of treatment.”
The agency’s warnings surprised French
self-care trade association NèreS, whose
isement in France in December 2017.
Professional organisations including the
General Medicine College and pharma-
director Luc Besançon told The Connexion: cists’ unions have also recommended that
“The conclusion of the European analysis decongestant tablets and sprays should
is expected to be delivered by the end of not be used to treat cold symptoms.
this year. We find it surprising that ANSM They said people usually recover within
is commenting on potential risk assess- seven to 10 days, but should remember to:
ment and not waiting for the final conclu- n Moisten the inside of the nose with
sion, which might go in their favour or saline, mineral water or seawater sprays;
could go against their current advice.” n Drink plenty of fluids;
Because decongestant drugs are sold n Sleep with their head elevated;
across Europe, the decision to remove n Air rooms regularly;
them from shelves or ban them has to n Keep the temperature at 18-20°C.
be agreed at EU level, allowing them to ANSM said it will maintain enhanced
remain on sale in France for now. surveillance of the drugs’ use and might
Patients, especially those with a history impose further restrictions in the future
of stroke or heart problems, should always to protect patients.
to earn some extra cash.
Students can become Shop-
ping Companions under the
self-employed worker, or
auto-entrepreneur, status.
They choose a time to work
that is convenient for them and
are paid €11 per hour. After
MONEY-SAVER
Round up cents and save
MOST of people in France
(80%) put their savings into a
state-regulated Livret A bank
account, but it is not the only
way to look after the centimes.
Many online banks and
apps now offer customers
round-up services, known
as arrondis.
They allow the change
from smaller purchases to
be deducted and put into a
savings account. For example,
a €2.50 coffee could be
rounded up to €3 and €0.50
set aside. Done regularly, it
Nord, Brittany and Nouvelle
Aquitaine, as well as three
Intermarché stores, including
in the Pyrénées-Orientales.
Mains d’Argent aims to
expand its number of partner
stores across France to around
100 by the end of next year.
French Bank also offers the
chance to give to a good
cause, as well as a choice of
saving options (tinyurl.com/
mr3cyhjh). Customers can
either have up to €5 saved
from purchases over €15,
or set a percentage.
Plum users can automatic-
ally add an extra euro to the
amount rounded up (tinyurl.
com/3sm7mhvw).
N26 allows users to multi-
ply what they round up by
one, two, three or five times
(tinyurl.com/3m3pw4up).

Local car-sharing schemes to reduce pollution soon becomes a tidy sum.

THREE communes have
launched car-sharing schemes
for their residents.
They aim to save people
money but also to cut pollution.
Anyone in the communes of
Vergt and Sorges-et-Ligueux-
en-Périgord, in the Dordogne,
and in Cahors, in the Lot, can
borrow a shared car for an
hour or a few days.
The services are the results of
different partnerships: the first
The firm operates in more
than 220 towns and cities,
from Paris down to tiny com-
munes. It manages fleets
of electric vehicles and their
charging points.
For its Périvoit service,
Greater Périgueux provides
two cars at a flat rate of €5 per
hour, and limits their availabil-
ity to between 17.00 and 22.00.
Users can reserve their elec-
tric vehicles using the dedicated
Most apps round up the
purchases to the nearest
Banking app Ismo does
things slightly differently
Each Monday, if you have
return the shared vehicles to have been supplied by Citiz euro, but there are exceptions. accumulated at least €5 in
the charging stations. and are available to use 24/7. LCL customers can increase rounded-up savings, it takes
The second agreement is The other two are provided it to €5, and even split their that money and invests it.
between Greater Cahors and by the commune’s own fleet, savings between their If you do not meet the €5
cooperative network Citiz. and can be hired only when account and a charity threshold, it rolls to the next
It aims to support the ecolog- they are not otherwise in use. (tinyurl.com/4v6fkm42). Ma week (tinyurl.com/2hfp78ps).
ical transition, get people out Citiz manages all aspects of
of their cars and dovetail with
the city’s free urban transport
network and cycling plan.
the car-sharing process, while
insurance, fuel and mainten-
ance are included in the price.
Hunting safety app launches
“One shared car can replace Users can register on the A FREE app has been created by
up to 10 private vehicles on the citiz.coop site to reserve a car. a French developer to help pro-
roads,” said Véronique Métro, Lease prices range from €2.50 tect people in the hunting season.

Photo: Mikaël Wawrziczny

is between Greater Périgueux website (perivoitautopartage. Citiz deputy director. to €3.50 per hour for members, When 38-year-old Mikael
and EV sharing platform Clem. clem.mobi). Drivers must Under the trial, four cars depending on the vehicle size. Wawrziczny’s wife said she was
worried about coming across a

Benefit explainer: Caregiver or compassionate leave allowance

IN OUR series on benefits and assistance
available in France, we look at the daily
allowance for family carers, known as Ajpa.
What is Ajpa?: The allocation journalière du
proche aidant (Ajpa), known as caregiver
or compassionate leave allowance, enables
jobseekers and workers, including self-
employed people, to take paid time off to
look after a close relative with a disability,
or who has lost their independence.
Who can apply: Applicants must be resident
in France and be working or receiving
unemployment benefit.
Salaried staff and self-employed workers
can apply, as can those undergoing voca-
tional training or who work with a spouse
on a farm or in a craft, commercial, liberal
or agricultural business
Ajpa is not available to retirees or to any-
one being paid by their relative using their
personalised autonomy allowance, or receiv-
ing these benefits: tinyurl.com/ppdyu6ah.
The people receiving the care must be a
close relative (spouse, child, sibling, aunt,
uncle, first cousin, nephew or niece) of
the applicant.
They must have a level of disability that
hinders daily life or personal autonomy,
have suffered a work accident, or receive
certain occupational disease pensions.
Anyone elderly must be in receipt of the
personalised autonomy allowance.
Amount: The amount of Ajpa is fixed at
€62.44 per full day and €31.22 per half-day.
Employees are entitled to a maximum
of 22 days of Ajpa in one month, up to a
limit of 66 days over their working life.
After reaching that threshold, Ajpa
requests can be renewed, but must not
exceed one year over an employee’s work-
ing life.
How to apply: Salaried applicants must ask
their employer for caregiver leave in
writing at least one month before their
planned leave is due to begin. Apart from
that step, requesting Ajpa is the same for
self-employed people.
You can find a list of documents needed
for the application at tinyurl.com/4dvhtnwz.
Benefit claimants can apply for Ajpa at
the caf.fr website. Go to My Account, then
click on the tab labelled simuler ou
demander une prestation (simulate or
request a service). Every month, you will
be sent a form to fill in to receive Ajpa.
The tab labelled Mes paiements et droits
(my payments and rights) will keep a run-
ning total of your 66 days.
Non-benefit claimants must create an
account on caf.fr, then download an Ajpa
application under the section ‘applying for
a benefit’ and the label Accident.
Good to know: An employer cannot refuse a
request for leave and returning employees
should go back to the same or similar job
with at least equal pay. You can apply for
Ajpa for every person you support.
hunter, he decided to try to help.
Mr Wawrziczny, who lives near
Vernon, Normandy, took inspi- The Chasse en cours app
ration from the Waze app.
It allows road users to post real-time updates about accidents or
incidents that could affect other drivers’ journeys.
He created a similar system for his free app Chasse en cours
for iPhone and Android. It aims to keep everyone informed about
who is out and about in the countryside.
“You have walkers, hikers, people walking their dogs, people
picking mushrooms, people riding bikes,” he said. “All these are
people who are likely to come across hunters.”
The app allows users to indicate whether they are a walker or a
hunter. They can set up an alert zone covering 500 metres to two
kilometres that lasts for up to two hours.
“It could prevent a hunting dog from coming face to face with
a walker’s pet, a hiker or even a car,” Mr Wawrziczny said.
We note however that when we tried it on a Monday in November
we did not see hunts in progress indicated in any local areas.
Hunters using the Chasse en cours app can update fellow users
about other details, such as the number of guns in a party, or
whether hunting dogs are present among the group.
In January, the government said its Suricate app, which allows
people to report issues such as pollution or signage problems
while enjoying the outdoors, would be expanded to include the
geolocation of hunters. To date, it has not been listed among the
activities covered by the site.
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

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All Tel Codes Tel Codes 01 - 03 Tel Code 04 Tel Code 05

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Should expats in France use a ‘contract’ or ‘trust’ QROPS pension scheme?

One is less recognised in
France and could create
tax problems, warns expat
financial adviser Daniel
Butcher founder of DTB
Wealth Management.
“FOR Britons transferring a UK pension
to France, the Qualifying Recognised
Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) is
widely promoted as a suitable option.
However there is more than one way
of structuring these,” says Daniel who
reviews which is the most effective
solution, a contract- or trust-based
QROPS.
“To make the best choice, it is important
to understand that each type is viewed
differently by common law countries,
such as the UK, and those which operate
under civil law, like France.”
Examples of other civil law countries
are Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland;
common law countries include Canada,
India and Australia.
Daniel continues: “Trusts can be mis-
understood by civil law countries and,
although not illegal in France, they are
not seen through the same lens as in
common law countries. The reality is that pleased to work with those in France with
trusts can encounter problems in France a trust-based QROPS who are considering
and could potentially be rejected as a changing to a contract-based policy and
pension by the French Tax Authorities look to achieve this in the quickest,
(FTA), so holders may end up paying smoothest way possible.”
more tax on income and gains arising
in the fund.”
While on paper both schemes look
as though they provide largely the same
benefits when moving a UK pension across
to France, Daniel advises his clients to play
it safe and choose contract-based QROPS
which can be declared to the FTA as a
‘pension’ or ‘pension étranger’, just as it
would have been classified in the UK.
Daniel details three schemes: STM Malta,
Sovereign Malta and Trireme. “We do not
have a preference between the three QROPS
listed,” he says, “however STM has an
interesting fee structure which does not www.dtbwealthmanagement.com
include an establishment fee.” contact@dtbwealthmanagement.com Daniel Butcher founded
Daniel concludes: “We would also be 06 72 34 48 50 DTB Wealth Management

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 The Connexion December 2023
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
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SUPPORT NETWORK
Are you grieving for a loved one
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elsewhere in France.
www.bsnvar.org
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06 24 50 22 74
(Mon - Fri between 09.00 and 17.00)
www.connexionfrance.com
COMMERCIAL FEATURE
complementary policies for retirees. After We understanding that many people
3 years, 4 years and then 5 years of loyalty, are confused by the need for even a basic
we automatically enhance your level of level of protection let alone why one
Health Care Insurance, for free and offer would need additional cover for expenses
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Swisslife Santé. This is suitable for reimbursement. Hence we explain step by
customers aged 18 to retiring age. We step the procedures that are relative to an
offer nine complementary policies, all individual’s situation.
policies also include reimbursements Each case is different and there are many
for bills which are not reimbursed by misunderstandings based on hearsay or
the French health system. inaccurate translations through a claim
Swisslife Hospitalisation only. These are reimbursement. Frequently asked questions
available for life-long cover but must be often relate to the care path and why at
subscribed before the age of 65. The top up times one receives a lower reimbursement
of any bills relates to hospitalisation only. than expected. Medical franchises and
Swisslife santé Retraités and Swisslife certain common phrases used in the
santé provide full cover which includes healthcare industry can lead to confusion.
hospitalisation, surgery Dentistry, Optical, Why do I need a health cover policy? Will
doctor fees, specialists, xrays, Cardiologists, my medicines be free as they are in the UK?
pharmacy. Essentially anything covered by Declaration de médecin traitant, what is
the French health system will be reimbursed the importance of this, how do I proceed?
by Swisslife. What is the télétransmission system? How
SwissLife
Insurance
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bordeaux.theatre@agence-swisslife.fr
Certified translations
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ALL OF FRANCE Directory 23
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+44 (0)20 3807 8311 Mobile: 06 83 32 65 15
or sue.davage@wanadoo.fr
www.
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 December 2023
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
English TV in your & French TV
French Home Supplied & Fully Installed
Professional installations in Office: 05 63 59 85 16
Brittany & Normandy www.skyinfrance.co.uk
Mail-order throughout France Please see our main
Free, friendly, helpful advice
advert in the Connexion
TVBrittany
02 97 27 58 50
www.tvbrittany.com
Axa AngloAgence Building restoration
Car, House, Health, INSURANCE City & Guilds qualified builder
Bank, Savings, Investment Masonary, plastering, tiling,
Painting and decorating
Going Beyond since 1989
Areas: 24, 46
02 96 87 21 21
Tel: 06 48 56 22 83
agence.mpsdinan@axa.fr
Alex, Richard, Trystan Email: pabroadley@yahoo.co.uk
SWIMMING POOL LEAK
DETECTION AND REPAIR
WIFI Anglais
www.fuitedetection.fr
+33 781 444545 Keeping you connected
+44 7770 274528
Internet - WiFi - VPN
Web hosting - CCTV
hello@wifianglais.com
07 78 52 20 46
AUDE & HERAULT
Pool Specialist
DEMPSEY TREE SURGERY
Weekly maintenance, repairs,
equipment replacement. CONTRACTORS
Contact Anthony Main 06 62 76 20 93
British trained & qualified tree surgeon
All tree work undertaken.
Email: anthonymain.fr@gmail.com
Tel: 05 45 65 96 86 Mob: 06 61 90 04 92
Siret 48468735500038
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 December 2023 www.connexionfrance.com ALL OF FRANCE Directory 25
COMMERCIAL FEATURE

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

forward process, if the pool professional is with 10-15 year lifespans. Gaius TA has a
Buying a swimming pool in France can be a challenging 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
préalable’ and ‘déclaration de travaux’ and enjoyed by families and friends for many,
ensure that the company you choose will understand 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
often have to be flexible; bad weather can is happy to offer impartial advice and
you make sense of the French pool market and bring some 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

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 For unique, animal a home, please consider
adopting. We have many cats and
• CCTV & Alarms
• WiFi Installation
French-themed dogs looking for loving homes.
Please visit us at:
• Home Audio & Cinema gift ideas www.phoenixasso.com
www.facebook.com/
Tel 06 80 55 06 09 SW France see our shop at
mail@euroinstallations.com PhoenixAssociationFrance
shop.connexionfrance.com

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 EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE
LOT-ET-GARONNE €216,000 CHARENTE €390,000
Ref: BVI72148 A charming 2-bed Ref: BVI71391 5-bed detached
country house with barn property close to Angoulême
Fees: Paid by the vendor Fees: Paid by the vendor
Climate class: E Energy class: B Climate class: C Energy class: C

Join our team!

We’re recruiting
independent
EXCLUSIVE property consult-
DEUX-SEVRES €195,000 DORDOGNE €236,500 ants across all
Ref: BVI72369 A lovely renovated Ref: BVI72086 An edge of village
farmhouse close to town 3-bed, 3-bath property with views areas of South
Fees: Paid by the vendor
Climate class: C Energy class: A
Fees: Paid by the vendor
Climate class: D Energy class: B West France.
Want to know more?
Contact Tina Anderson,
Head of Recruitment
tina.anderson@beauxvillages.com

LOT-ET-GARONNE €615,000 HAI GIRONDE €1,400,000

Ref: BVI72601 5-bed stone proper- Ref: BVI71410 An exceptional 7-bed
ty with guest cottage, barn and pool château not far from St Emilion

CALL US NOW +441722 698090

Fees: 6% paid by the buyer Net price: Fees: Paid by the vendor
€580,189 Climate class: C Energy class: D Climate class: D Energy class: D

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 December 2023
COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Work.
Life.
99 000 € 148 625 € 169 125 €
Balance.
WE ARE RECRUITING!
If you would like the freedom to grow a successful
230 625 € 283 925 € 307 500 € business supported by an award winning team, please
contact our recruitment department:

312 625 € 420 250 € 676 500 € +33 (0)5 53 60 82 77 · recruitment@leggett.fr · www.leggettfrance.com
WHY BUY THROUGH A HIGH COMMISSION AGENCY?

The ‘one stop shop’ for every

REMOVAL
aspect of your removal needs
Modern methods, old fashioned

& STORAG
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 FULL CUSTOMS CLEARANCE SERVICES
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 days, a few months, or a few years, Watson European
to offer wrapping and packing services, storage, have got you covered with secure, modern storage
vehicle re-location services and customs clearances solutions at competitive rates.
specialising in movements between the UK, France For clients moving between the UK and EU,
Family owned business with and Spain,” says Andrea. Watson European offer up to 60 days complimentary
“Our dedicated and experienced team aim to provide storage as part of a relocation package. This sought-
30 years’ experience you with both a friendly and welcoming experience, after storage solution is designed to relieve some of

6
UP TO

0F
while maintaining a professional and courteous skillset the time-sensitive pressures of moving internationally.

w Full & part loads throughout France & the UK,
offered weekly
w Long & short term storage
w Full, part or specialist packing services
D
to give you the confidence in your move from the point “Our storage solutions allow you to travel at your
of first contact through to re-delivery, making your
move a stress free and enjoyable experience.” WE OFFER A WEEKLY
own leisure, take some time to find the perfect new
home and finalise completion dates with solicitors,
Watson European have found that following Brexit TRANSPORT SERVICE
says Andrea. “Or you may simply want to do some
Stora
and the UK’s departure from the EU, the process in
how goods can be moved between the UK and the BETWEEN THE UK,
renovations to your new home prior to the arrival of
your belongings knowing that your possessions are ge in
FRANCE & SPAIN.
EU has changed. Clients also state that Customs’ being safely and securely looked after at our main
requirements can also feel extremely overwhelming operating base in Lincoln, UK or our newly acquired
now in addition to the natural stresses that are already facility in Gandia, Spain.”

w Vehicle transportation
present when moving overseas. Our specialised
Andrea concludes vehicles
with a ‘top tip’ when considering
CAL
can
“At Watson European, we can take care of all customs
formalities from permanent house moves, second /
accommodate
a home move. “Start by fulltaking
or a little bit of time to call
our team and have a chat. They will be able to assess
holiday home movements and vehicle movements.partial home removals, get things moving UK
needs and cars, +44 (0)
w Guidance with customs clearance procedures We were especially pleased to launch our new
your
in a
individual
caravans and more.
positive manner. ” MOB +44 (0)
service for ‘HMRC Transfer Of Residence Relief ’
OFFICE +44 (0)
w Staff fully trained in house applications. Our team will provide information on
the documentation required and provide up to date
Whatever
USE OUR ONLINE ENQUIRYyour
PAGE removal requirements
FOR A NO OBLIGATION
Andrea and her team at Watson European.
QUOTE call

WWW.WATSONEUROPEAN.CO.UK EMAIL: ENQUIRY@WATS

information for your specific needs. We aim to be the
Tel +44 (0)1962 777 684 ‘one stop shop’ for every aspect of a client’s removal www.watsoneuropean.co.uk
needs,” Andrea says. Tel: Office 0044 (0) 1522 686 764
Email moving@cranburys.co.uk Safely storing your belongings is often an essential Andy 0044 (0) 7876 504 547
part of your relocation journey. Whether for a few Email: enquiry@watsoneuropean.co.uk
www.cranburys.co.uk
 from all of us at Blevins Franks

0 805 112 163 (N° Vert)

france@blevinsfranks.com | www.blevinsfranks.com
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 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 taxation advice; its tax advisers are fully qualified tax specialists. Blevins Franks France SASU (BFF), is registered with ORIAS, registered
XMS23-fr

number 07 027 475, and authorised as ‘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 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.
 28 Healthcare connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

Medical cannabis experiment extended

to help patients desperate for pain relief
by Samantha David new medication in France, so it is

“
normal that it is taking time to set

Photo: Frantz Deschamps

THE general authorisation of medical up the regulatory framework,” said
cannabis has moved a step closer Mr Deschamps.
with the French government granting In response to arguments that the
it temporary status for five years – state should not be paying for people
and scope for this to be renewed to get high, he said: “Patients suffering
indefinitely. We are lobbying for from untreatable pain, or who are
The price, prescription criteria and medical cannabis to be treated end-of-life, need effective treatment
reimbursement rate are still to be to improve their quality of life, even if
defined. In the meantime, patients like morphine: to be prescribed medications are classed as narcotics.
who are already using medical for home use, available in “With cannabis-based medicines,
Photo: Africa Studio_shutterstock

cannabis as part of an experiment these patients can find relief from

will be allowed to continue. pharmacies and reimbursed their debilitating symptoms without
Under the new proposals, products risking serious side-effects.”
will be authorised on a case-by-case so it is accessible to everyone He also stressed the difference from
basis and will remain restricted to a Frantz Deschamps, recreational cannabis use.
last-resort treatment, prescribed only “When it is used medically, we need
in hospitals. Santé France Cannabis to know exactly how it was produced
The decision follows months of complex regional pain syndromes.” high. “Because the efficacy is already adverse effects: “Unlike morphine- and what is in it so as to prescribe the
uncertainty and brings cannabis into He is not referring to CBD oil, which proven, we have been testing the based drugs, no addictions have been correct dosage.
France’s general medical framework is now widely available in France: practical possibilities of prescribing reported. There can be mild temporary “And, of course, it is used under
for the first time. “That is not a registered medication, and distributing medical cannabis in side-effects, such as sleepiness and medical supervision.
Frantz Deschamps, president of the production of it is not regulated, so France,” said Mr Deschamps. diarrhoea, but no severe ones.” “We are lobbying for medical cann-
Santé-France Cannabis, said: “This each brand has different ingredients,” “After three months of using canna- This is a massive advantage, he abis to be treated like morphine: to
is a major advance for patients at a he said. bis under medical supervision, 70% noted, because so many patients under be prescribed for home use, available
therapeutic impasse. Medical cannabis has been prescribed of patients with ‘insupportable pain’ treatment for chronic pain, or in in pharmacies and reimbursed so it is
“There is ample proof that it works, to a control group of more than 2,500 reported improvements. palliative care, end up taking a whole accessible to everyone, and we hope
particularly for neuropathic pain such patients since 2021. They receive it “It does not cure anything, of course. cascade of drugs, each one prescribed that can happen in 2024.”
as that endured by people with infect- either by vaping the flowers or ingest- But managing pain improves quality to alleviate the side-effects of the Medical cannabis is legal in almost all
ions, including shingles, HIV/AIDS, ing extracted oil. of life enormously. It allows people to previous one. other EU states.
MS, diabetes, stroke, trauma, cancer Unlike CBD oil, medical cannabis return to work, social and domestic However, the authorisation of med- This is also the case in the UK,
and treatments such as radiotherapy, usually retains at least some THC, activities, for example.” ical cannabis in France is proving a although it is effectively only available to
surgery and chemotherapy, as well as the ingredient that makes users feel He stressed there are no unexpected long, slow process. “It is a completely those with private healthcare.

Dog’s nose inspires a breath-test

to monitor diabetic glucose level
PRICKING a finger to monitor blood glucose A rendering of the
levels could soon be replaced by a hand-held reusable handheld
device that measures organic compounds in breath-test, which is
the breath. aimed at people
The breath-test is the brainchild of Toulouse- suffering from diabetes
based firm BOYDSense, and is nicknamed Lassie or those diagnosed as
Photo: BOYDSense

because of its unusual inspiration. pre-diabetic

CEO Ben Delhey said: “As we all know, dogs
have fantastically sensitive noses.
“They have been trained to sniff out Covid, for
example, and can even predict epileptic fits.
“So that’s the power we want to harness. Our
small, handheld device can show people’s blood
sugar levels instantly.”
The Breath Glucose Device is aimed at people
living with diabetes. It is smaller than an iPhone,
albeit a little thicker, completely reusable, and
calculates blood glucose value within current
accuracy standards.
“It measures ‘volatile organic compounds’ in a
person’s breath and gives results in a few seconds,
sending them to a mobile phone,” Mr Delhey said.
These compounds can reveal a lot about a
person’s health and, in theory, monitoring them
could flag up a whole range of diseases, including
asthma and certain cancers.
“We know that other scientists are working on
these, but there are ethical considerations,” said
Mr Delhey.
“This device is in no way intended to replace
a doctor, or to allow people to self-diagnose at
home without medical supervision.”
It is intended to offer an alternative to invasive
and non-discreet techniques for monitoring blood
glucose in diabetics, such as finger-pricking or
sensors worn on the body.
It is hoped users will test earlier and more
often, making a positive impact on the long-
term management of diabetes.
According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas, there are
currently 537 million adults (20-79 years old)
living with diabetes worldwide – one in 10 of the
global population. This is predicted to rise to 643
million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045. More
than three-quarters of adults with diabetes live
in low- and middle-income countries.
“Every patient with diabetes has different needs
and different lifestyles.
“Some patients might only test once per day, in
the morning, to calculate their insulin dose for
that evening,” said Mr Delhey.
“There is a lot of discussion about personalised
healthcare, matching it with lifestyles, personal
lives, and sports.
“With diabetes, there are no miracles. Patients
can manage lifestyle changes, lose weight, do
exercise, clean up their diet and minimise the
effects, but it will always be there.”
He thinks the breath-test might also be useful
for non-diabetics in high-level sports, or people
who have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic.
“There are people in the healthy population
who have legitimate reasons to track their blood
glucose,” he said.
The company has just finished a clinical trial
involving 130 patients at the CHU in Toulouse,
and hopes to have the devices on the market
within the next few years.
“We need more developmental investment and
more clinical data,” said Mr Delhey. “We also need
to deal with the regulatory aspects and further
miniaturisation. So it will take a few more years.”
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com French life in numbers 29

Tax help, health card, IT: many Five things they don’t tell you...
about les rosbifs (the Brits) in France

ways France Services can help

by Samantha David

What would you add to the list?

Tell us at news@connexionfrance.com
by Samantha David
The government is
AS government services in smaller aiming for everyone
market towns are closed to streamline and to be within 30
centralise offices, people in rural areas minutes of a
often complain they have lost access to France Services
administrative help.
To remedy this, the government has estab-
lished a network of France Services offices,

Photo: John Gomez_shutterstock

2,379 of which were up and running across
the country in 2022, and more are being
opened all the time (search tinyurl.com/
Mapfranceservices. See also page 7).
They are designed to be a first point of
contact with French bureaucracy, offering
free help with processes and paperwork

Photo: HJBC_shutterstock
connected to health, family, law, 1. Le sexe interdits. And as for the mini
accommodation, taxes, job-hunting and jupes in winter, the big boots
digital services. The aim is that everyone EVIDENTLY, les rosbifs are with dresses and the blue
should be within 30 minutes of one of lacking in knowledge of hair... Très originale!
these guichets (service counters). matters romantic. They are
pudique (discreet) and 4. La politesse
1 Learn how systems work
reserved to the point that the
Staff can give information about how
6 Know what to expect when you are expecting
French have no clue how IT IS well known that British
systems work in France generally: such as, Staff can help expectant mothers declare their they manage to breed any people are too polite to ever
how to get into the health system, under- pregnancy, apply for benefits, find a local babies at all. All except the express their true feelings. It

Photo: Andrey_Popov_shutterstock
stand where your taxes go, why you have midwife, choose where to give birth, and deal lately departed, much-loved is, therefore, extremely hard
to answer questions about your swimming with employment issues, among other services. Jane Birkin, of course, who to understand how they
pool, or whether you have to pay for a For first-time mothers, this is an important was un sex-symbol mythique. function. Do they never
television licence. step, as maternity benefits are paid during Oh là là! argue? How is it possible to
pregnancy to women who follow the correct know an English person who
2 Complete admin tasks
parcours (ie. have filled out the right paperwork). 2. La cuisine only ever says “I see” or “An
They can help navigate a specific task, interesting point”. C’est fou!
such as filling in a tax declaration form, EVERYONE knows that the
setting up income tax deductions at situation yourself, France Services is the getting healthcare reimbursed. (Obviously, English eat anything, at any 5. Les pubs
source, and demanding or renewing a next stop. staff cannot offer medical help.) time of the day and night,
French ID card, a driving licence or a including jam with meat. DESPITE being cold and
carte grise (vehicle log book). 7 Land a job 10 Ensure your pension is paid
Tea-time is 17.00 and it is never expressing their true
Get help with job-hunting, advice on Get advice to establish your exact date of impossible to eat dinner after feelings,
3 Get IT help
CVs, and find out how to sign on at the retirement, and ensure your pension is 20.00. As for their refusal to in les
You can also get basic IT help, including to Pôle Emploi. Staff can often also give paid in full and on time. eat frogs’ legs and snails, well, pubs one
set up an email address, or print/scan doc- information on local employers who they simply know nothing can often
11 Settle disputes

Photo: Nomad_Soul_shutterstock
uments needed for official dossiers (files). are currently recruiting. about proper French food. find ros-
Staff can give advice to people faced with Bon appétit! bifs mak-
4 Navigate websites 8 Claim benefits
legal disputes: on how to avoid them, find ing a lot
Staff can show people how to find and You can pop into a France Services office a mediation service, settle out of court, or 3. La mode of noise
navigate the government’s various official if you are unsure of the social security if it cannot be avoided. They can also while
websites, do online simulations (eg. of benefits available to you, or how to apply explain which courts deal with different LES BRITANNIQUES playing
benefits they could get) and place requests for them. Staff can even help locate the kinds of cases, and supply their addresses. also know very little about peculiar
for documents (recent copies of French correct web pages to apply online. fashion, which is why the games such as darts, and also
birth certificates, for example). 12 Local offerings
men all wear les chapeaux slapping each other on the
9 Apply for a carte Vitale Offices are free to add other services melons (bowler hats). Also, back, and buying drinks for
5 Move problems forward
If you have issues with your carte Vitale – to the range on offer. You might also they do not know that certain total strangers. This is con-
Staff can contact the right people in other whether getting one in the first place, find help relating to rubbish collection, types of print and certain fusing but also part of the
offices to sort out intractable bureaucratic replacing a lost one or updating an existing parking queries, or opening hours of the colour combinations are charme des anglais. Tchin!
knots. If you just cannot sort out a difficult one – help is at hand. The same goes for local post office, for example.

with The Connexion’s in-depth digital

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France for France How to complete your
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to include information on
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with details of a challenge to that
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+ What tax is due The different types declaration/s (2022 income)
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 30 Heritage connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

Versailles at 400: from hunting lodge to opulence

It has been 400 years Power plays, hot air and high winds: a timeline of key dates
since Louis XIII ordered Day of the Dupes, November 10 & 11, 1630 moners are summoned here by Louis XVI in what

Photos: Circle below: RMN-GP (Château de Versailles) - Château de Versailles/Thomas Garnier

Enemies of Cardinal Richelieu believe they have comes to mark the start of the French Revolution.
construction of a persuaded Louis XIII to dismiss him, but Richelieu Tennis Court Oath, June 20, 1789
‘humble’ hunting lodge follows the King to Versailles, where he is assured
of continued support.
Locked out of their official meeting place, the newly
formed National Assembly moves to the indoor ten-
at Versailles. Victoria Reception of the Doge of Genoa, May 15, 1685 nis court and vows never to separate until a written
Now a place of political business, Louis XIV constitution has been established for France.
Gibson explains how it receives the Doge of Genoa – the first reception of Proclamation of German Empire, January 18, 1871
grew to become one of its kind at Versailles.
Treaty of Independence, 1778 and 1783
Germany humiliates France when Bismarck uses
Versailles to announce the reign of the German
the world’s most iconic Benjamin Franklin is received at Versailles in 1778 Empire at the end of the Franco-Prussian War.
by Louis XVI, who grants the military assistance Treaty of Versailles, June 28, 1919
palaces, receiving that ultimately leads to the signature of the Treaty World War One formally ends as peace is signed in
of Independence of the United States of America the Hall of Mirrors. It holds Germany responsible
7 million visitors a on September 3, 1783. for starting the war and imposes harsh penalties,
month, and a symbol Hot air balloon flight, September 19, 1783
The Montgolfier brothers test their new invention
including loss of territory and demilitarisation.
Storm, December 25 & 26, 1999
of French political over the Château, with live animals as passengers Winds of 210 km/h see windows smashed, more
Gathering of the Estates General, May 4-5, 1789 than 10,000 trees broken or uprooted and 80% of
and cultural might Representatives of the clergy, nobility and com- the garden’s rare species destroyed.

IT IS HARD to believe that the Régime, it was used daily as a place mistress Madame de Pompadour. brought back to life. He wanted to At the beginning of World War Two,
Château de Versailles we know today of passage, waiting and meeting, Louis XVI was the last royal to live commemorate his family and the estate’s Versailles was shut down to the pub-
started off as nothing more than an frequented by courtiers and visitors. at Versailles and the celebration of his story by creating a museum dedicated lic, entrance areas were bricked up,
overnight base for a hunting-mad Exceptionally, it was used for ceremo- marriage to the Archduchess of “à toutes les gloires de la France.” windows were boarded and artworks
young king to pursue his passion. nies, when the sovereigns wanted to give Austria Marie-Antoinette in 1770 was After him, Napoleon III used the were moved to secret locations.
It was in 1623 that Louis XIII the greatest splendour to the entertain- one of the greatest events to take place palace as a venue for celebrations Although targeted by German bomb-
selected the game-rich forests of ment offered on the occasion of princely here in the late 18th century. including, in 1855, to welcome Queen er planes, it survived fairly unscathed.
Versailles for such a lodge. weddings or diplomatic receptions.” However, poor guidance from his Victoria and re-establish political The Château de Versailles was desig-
A few years later, he had a grander Louis moved his advisors and coun- advisers and his wife’s penchant for alliance with the English. nated a World Heritage Site in 1979,
palace built here, designed by the cil to Versailles from May 6, 1682. luxurious purchases made his down- English monarchs would continue to making conservation a crucial part of
architect Philibert Le Roy. To develop the gardens, he commis- fall almost inevitable. With the start of visit; King George VI in 1938, Queen the attraction’s operations.
It was the start of a series of aston- sioned architect André Le Nôtre to the Revolution, the family were forced Elizabeth in 1957 and, most recently, This has been monitored under the
ishing makeovers for the site, which embark on a huge landscaping project to flee Versailles and Louis XVI was King Charles III on his first state visit leadership of Laurent Salomé, direc-
today houses 2,300 rooms, spread alongside statesman Jean-Baptiste guillotined on January 21, 1793. as British monarch in September. teur du musée national des châteaux
over 63,154m² and encompassing 800 Colbert, artist Charles Le Brun and In the aftermath, Versailles was During World War One, Versailles de Versailles et de Trianon since 2016.
hectares of gardens and land. architect Jules Hardouin- mostly preserved, but there was acted as a hospital, soon falling into From the autumn of 2017 to 2021,
Over the centuries, four Mansart. Statues and foun- uncertainty about what to do with it. disrepair. Maintenance was necessary the palace experienced one of its larg-
more kings would reside tains were installed, an The Musée du Louvre offered a but funds were non-existent. est restoration projects.
here and leave their orangery built, and wood- home to various artworks and the Its fortunes changed when a fund- “The restoration of the Chapelle
mark, but it was Louis lands and meadows made remaining 17,182 lots that had not raising event held on June 30, 1923 Royale involved a multitude of trades
XIV, pictured, who was way for a canal – a monu- accompanied the royal family to the was attended by the American finan- and expertise essential to heritage con-
the great builder of mental task that, at times, Tuileries were auctioned from August cier and philanthropist, John D servation,” explained the spokesperson.
Versailles and its gardens. took thousands of men to 25, 1793 to August 11, 1794 and Rockefeller Jr. “Master roofers, master carpenters,
“During his reign, exten- labour on. mostly acquired by locals and traders. He foresaw its future as an interna- stonemasons, sculptors, master glass-
sions and embellishments Despite devoting 50 years to Over the coming years, the chateau tional treasure and donated $1million workers, glaziers, gilders, locksmiths,
followed one another in rapid suc- the palace, it remained unfinished offered guided tours, became a public (20 million francs) to repair leaking etc. were all involved.
cession, culminating in l’œuvre d’art upon Louis’ death in September 1715. depot and was even used to store and roofs and to restore the external fea- “All these skills were at the heart of
totale we know today,” said a Château The court abandoned it for Vincennes organise seizures carried out by the tures and roof timbers. this first major restoration project.”
spokesperson. and transplanted itself briefly to Paris departments of Seine and Oise. In 1927, he specified that 23 million Efforts continue to conserve this
Known as the Sun King, one of his the following December. When in power, Napoléon francs was earmarked for Versailles, extraordinary site for future genera-
biggest legacies was the Galerie des Versailles entered a period of neglect Bonaparte was well aware of the in particular the Grove of the Domes, tions. It means that, some 400 years
Glaces (Hall of Mirrors). and it was not until 1722, that a young palace’s image and chose to settle in the Ballroom Grove, the Queen’s after its inception, Versailles is still
“It is undoubtedly the most Louis XV made the decision to return the more modest chateau of Trianon, Hamlet and the Grand Trianon. very much “a work in progress.”
emblematic feature of the chateau. to the project, adding a few touches of situated in the northwestern part of Rockefeller’s involvement inspired
Over the course of its 73 metres, it his own. These included a grand thea- the Versailles estate. the Assemblée nationale to allocate 4 n To mark the anniversary, visitors
showcases France’s political, econom- tre and changes to the gardens, includ- It was not until the accession of million francs per year to the Château can explore a new layout of the Gallery
ic and artistic successes,” said the ing building the Petit Trianon (a new Louis-Philippe as ‘King of the French’ de Versailles in 1924, which was of the History of the Palace, tracing its
spokesperson. “Under the Ancien palace in the middle of them) for his in 1830 that Versailles was really increased to 5 million in 1932. evolution via 120-plus works of art.

Ref: A20362 €160,000 Ref: A23302 €267,500 Ref: A23069 €1,627,500 Ref: A25230 €109,000 Ref: 11642 €90,000
Côtes-d’Armor

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7% agency fees included paid by the buyer. 7% agency fees included paid by the buyer. 5% agency fees included paid by the buyer. 9% agency fees included paid by the buyer. Agency fees paid by the seller.
Energy class: E Climate class: E Energy class: D Climate class: A Energy class: D Climate class: D DPE: In progress DPE: Not required

Information on the risks to which these properties are exposed is available on the Geohazards website: www.georisques .gouv.fr

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 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com Community 31

Charity shop aims to raise €100,000 for animals

A CHARITY shop in a com- “The spring and summer ones
mune with fewer than 400
residents has raised €70,000 for
Photo: Carol Colborne
are held at ARK and around a
local lake. For the Christmas Resto du Coeur for feeding
animal associations this year –
and aims to hit €100,000.
ARK is based in the village
market, we invite the assoc-
iations to come and put up
a stall, show the work they do
pets wants to go national
of Sainte-Soline in Deux-Sèvres, and raise money.” THE FOUNDERS of an assoc-
Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and is run Support is also very practical, iation offering animal food
by Emma Parrack-Graves. with Mrs Parrack-Graves using for owners on low incomes
It supports 40 French and Facebook to find homes for aim to create a national fed-

Photo: Supplied by Charlotte Dufour

global animal associations, animals wherever she is able. eration of community outlets.
including the Brigitte Bardot “I recently posted about a Charlotte Dufour, secretary
Foundation, The Raggie Dog 13-year-old dog that needed a and volunteer, said: “We now
Retreat and Elephant Haven*, home after her two owners look after 190 members, who
with monthly donations. passed within four weeks of have between 450 and 500
Last year, it raised €86,500. each other,” she said. “It animals.”
The amount is impressive con- reached 5,000 people and the The Cantine des Patounes
sidering the challenges faced. dog was adopted a week on.” was founded last year by
“We opened in December When asked where she hopes Corinne Gester and Isabelle A few of the Cantine des
2018 and then came Covid,” to be in five years, she replied: Amiot. Based in Coutances Patounes’ volunteer team
Mrs Parrack-Graves said. “My plan is just to carry on liv- in Normandy, it operates in facturer Normandise, supply
Emma Parrack-Graves spends time with Maya, a dog
“We had one good year, but it ing my best life, raising all the the same way as the Restos up to 14 tonnes of meat or
whose owners both died within six months of each other
was our first so we had to buy money we can and playing shop. du Cœur association, which biscuits, while the E.Leclerc
the tills and everything else we as well as animals,” she said. the ladies volunteer to make “I love what I do, and the offers free meals to France’s centre in Coutances donates
needed for the shop.” “During Covid, I was helping friends and do something people I work with. I love the poorest households. its damaged food boxes.
ARK was launched after out with older people who more with their retired lives associations and the dogs we “The idea is to prevent “It’s really heartwarming
another organisation that she wanted to come and socialise. in France. see. I gave one association a people going without food because the service allows
volunteered for expanded. “Local people and my com- “We also have four men who shed at the end of the garden. themselves to feed their ani- them to keep their compan-
“I – and my team – wanted to munity needed somewhere safe wanted to be able to practise They bring a dog in each week mals, or abandoning their ion, to be able to feed them
stay small and local so I set up for them and it helped. French but also speak English. for adoption, and now all the pets because they can no well,” said Mrs Dufour.
my own association and the “It gives the volunteers a “It really is a team effort to customers bring in theirs too. longer feed them,” she said. The Cantine, with a team
team stayed with me,” Mrs sense of purpose too. make ARK not just a shop, but “I work hard during the “The price of everything’s of nine volunteers, currently
Parrack-Graves, 44, said. “I’ve been here for 20 years also a place you can come, eat week, and then on Tuesday gone up, so people are find- helps people in Coutances,
“We have one shop that and raised two children. I cake, chat and meet people, as everyone else works really ing it harder to give their pets but it has bigger ambitions.
opens once a week. We can wasn’t Emma, I was Harry and well as buy great items.” hard while I cuddle dogs. It’s good quality food.” “The aim is to become a
give funds to whomever we Maisy’s mum, or Kevin’s wife. To enable people to do the the best life ever.” Owners seeking help from federation, and later even a
want and tell our customers A lot of the people who moved latter, the charity shop supports One of the supported charities, Cantine des Patounes are foundation,” she said.
where their money is going,” over, especially the women, French-registered local busi- Raggie Dog Retreat in Maine- asked to pay €2 a month. In Even after becoming a
she told The Connexion. they didn’t work and the nesses, including an artisanal et-Loire, looks after disabled return, they receive enough nationwide network, the
As well as involving her fam- husbands did. honey producer, a fish and and elderly dogs that can be food to give their pet at least Cantine would remain a
ily and 26 French and British “So they weren’t Petrina or chip van, and florists. sponsored by the public. one meal a day for a month. community-based effort.
volunteers, Mrs Parrack-Graves Michelle any more. They were The fundraising goes beyond *Elephant Haven is a sanct- The food is handed out on “We will need as many
is keen to point out ARK is not someone’s wife who answered the shop, with online weekly uary for retired circus and zoo Thursdays and Fridays, the volunteers as possible as we’re
just about fundraising. the phone. Now they’re Petrina auctions, which raised around elephants in Haute-Vienne in same as Restos du Cœur. going to set up an action plan
“My number one goal is to or Michelle from ARK.” €35,000 last year, bingo nights, Nouvelle-Aquitaine – currently Several donors, including to create branches across
make it feel like a community Mrs Parrack-Graves, original- quiz evenings, Ritz-style tea home to two elephants and Vire-based pet food manu- France,” Mrs Dufour said.
of people all helping each other ly from Kent, added: “A lot of parties and three fêtes per year. soon adding three females.

Three reporters save their Community cancer support group celebrates

123-year-old newspaper 10 years and targets €1million in fundraising
THREE journalists have saved
their local weekly newspaper THE VOLUNTEERS behind “It is important to note that
that went into receivership an organisation supporting everyone in our association
after 123 years of circulation. people with cancer and their and our organisation are
Le Crestois’ owner Jean- families have set an ambitious 100% volunteers.
Photo: Le Crestois

Baptiste Bourde, great-great- €1million fundraising target as “Any money we raise obvious-
grandson of the founder, took they mark its 10th anniversary. ly goes straight back out to
over as director of the paper Mimosa Matters (mimosa- helping cancer patients.
and its printing press in 2009. was published on July 14. matters.org), based on the “We do this as a labour of
However, as the print business Mr Chouraqui said the team Riviera, started out as a fund- love, though I use that term
Photo: Mimosa Matters

declined, so did revenues that was worried about how its raising effort for the brother loosely, because we all work,
kept the paper afloat. roughly 12,000 readers would of a committee member who we all have families and jobs.”
After years of struggle, react to a smaller paper, but had cancer. Future projects include a
Mr Bourde said he could no their fears were unfounded. Board member Juliette roadshow in primary schools,
longer continue and, in March, “Our readers were satisfied Clarkin, who moved to France speaking to children about
Mimosa hopes to educate youngsters about staying healthy
the paper and printers entered because, in the end, the paper from Ireland 11 years ago, said: being active and eating well.
receivership. kept its identity. “We ran our first gala ball bursts of colour that provide a cancer journey.” To date, “Forty per cent of all cancers
Shortly after, the three journ- “It’s easier to hold and more event and realised we’d tapped symbol of hope, the light after Mimosa has raised €750,000 are preventable by just making
alists, based in the Vallée de la pleasant to leaf through, but at into something unique,. the darkness, Ms Clarkin said. for the frontline organisations some small changes. If we can
Drôme in Auvergne-Rhône- the same time it remains a “We found it was a wonderful “We genuinely see Mimosa as and patients in the region. teach those small changes to
Alpes, decided to create a coop- ‘local’ paper.” way for the expat community a community, so there are the “We actually had set our- the next generation, who
erative production comp-any, He added: “We’re going to to get behind a cause and it individuals and the businesses, selves the ambition of hitting knows where we’ll be?”
known as a société coopérative act as a link between all the snowballed from there. but also very much the front- €1million before 10 years, Mimosa Matters’ project to
de production (Scop). They communes and the people, by “Now we’re hosting numerous line associations. We’re not but then Covid hit. educate youngsters could not
were joined by an extra person reporting on events, publishing events, including another black experts, and rely heavily on La “I think we’ll take that still as be better timed. A five-year
to run the administration. announcements that various tie gala ball this month. Ligue Contre le Cancer, who a success, having hit some real- health bulletin, published in
A Scop is a company whose players will be able to pass on to “We’ve all unfortunately been very much are at the front line. ly good, wonderful targets. We July, estimated there would
majority shareholders or own- us. It’s above all this usefulness touched directly or indirectly “We work with local hospitals, are hoping to reach €1million be no fewer than 433,136 new
ers, as in the case of Le Crestois, people wanted to save. from cancer. It is just a voca- who give the treatments, also and we have a jam-packed cases of cancer reported in
pictured, are the employees. “As far as we are concerned, tion and a desire to give back.” with Cancer Support Group schedule of events for the final France this year, an increase
After a six-week hiatus and in the Drôme valley in any The organisation was named 06 and the ISIS Association as few months of the year. of 51,000 on 2018.
led by publishing director case, the press is something after the mimosa tree, which well, giving those more gentle “We are already planning The report projects 57% of
Martin Chouraqui, their first that concerns everyone, an blooms in the south of France treatments and support and 2024 and have got some key them to be in men and 43%
edition, printed at 3,000 copies, entire region.” during the winter months, with aftercare for patients on a dates in as well.” She added: among women.
 32 Practical
Married, Pacs or cohabiting: your
home rights after a partner’s death
THE DEATH of a partner is an
emotional time but it can also throw
up bureaucratic challenges, including
what rights the surviving person has
to remain in the family home.
Such rights might have been
addressed in the deceased’s will or
be dealt with via another mecha-
nism such as a tontine clause in the
property deeds passing ownership
to the survivor. However, even if
that is not the case, widows and
widowers have a right to continue
to live in their home for one year
after the death of their loved one.
After that, the rules depend on
your relationship status and if you
rent or own the property. We sum
up some of the key points.
Married couples
Homeowners: You can remain in the
family home for life, using its fur-
nishings, whether you jointly owned
it or it was in your spouse’s name
alone (as long as they did not can-
cel this by will), but not if you
owned it jointly with other people.
If other people now have a part-
share (eg. children of your spouse
who inherited from them) you must
formalise your wish to benefit from
the droit viager au logement to give
you the right to stay there for life.
Did you know?
This has to be done within a year of
Most married couples pay less
income tax in France than in the UK!
This is not an opinion, but a statement of fact!
If France is supposed to be a high tax country
how can this possibly be?
Visit www.kentingtons.com for more information
M A K I N G
connexionfrance.com
the death and remains valid even if
you remarry. The simplest way to do
this is to notify the notaire involved
in dealing with your spouse’s estate.
This right has a value based on a
formula. If your share of the estate
is worth more, you can claim the
remainder; if it is worth less, you do
not have to make it up to other heirs.
Tenants: You have the right to take
over the lease, even if it was prev-
iously only in your spouse’s name.
You can claim a lifetime right to
use the furnishings.
In the year after the death, the
surviving partner can claim the rent
money from the deceased’s estate.
Pacs couples
Homeowners: You only have a right
to live in the property for
one year after the death, even if
you were joint owners.
Of course, this is not the case if
you inherited the property in full
ownership from your partner and
there are no other part-owners.
Pacs partners do not inherit
anything as an automatic right
and this must be put in a will.
Tenants: Joint leaseholders are enti-
tled to use the home and its furnish-
ings for a year, unless the deceased’s
Y O U R L I F E
will states otherwise.
After that, you can
keep the lease if you
signed it together or if
you and your partner
requested in writing to
the landlord or agency
to hold it jointly.
Otherwise, you could
request a transfer of
the lease, but your
Your marital status plays a role in your rights
partner’s descendants
and ancestors can also claim it, in
which case a judge will rule on this. intervene if you have young children.
Living together
Homeowners: No automatic rights
apply, either for one year or for the
lifetime.
If your partner bequeathed to you
in a will their share of the property
or the right to use it and receive
rental income from it (and there is
no conflict with other heirs), then
you can remain.
Similarly, if you owned jointly
with a clause that the property
passes to you on the first death.
If bought through a société civile
immobilière (SCI), the articles of
association could stipulate that
you remain in the property.
Otherwise, the deceased’s share
passes to his or her heirs, who may
decide to sell and oblige you to
I N F R A N C E
The Connexion December 2023
Photo: Shutterstock_fizkes
leave. You can ask the courts to
Tenants: If you signed the lease, you
have exclusive rights to it and can
carry on living in the property. If
the lease was signed by the deceased
only, you can transfer a rental lease,
including for social housing, if:
n You were living with the deceased
in a stable and ‘known’ relationship
for at least one year before the
death;
n You can provide proof that you
were living together, either from
certificates from relatives, bills or
certificates of cohabitation.
If you lived together for less than
a year, the landlord must agree and
you must sign a new lease.
However, if you are disabled and
can prove that you lived together
with the deceased, you are entitled
to stay.
L E S S
France:
UK:
Web:
New TGV tax on foncière
bills – if you search for it
A NEW €5 tax to
Photo: Julia Grange
help fund the future
TGV Toulouse to
Bordeaux rail link is
being levied on local
property owners. It
is shown as the taxe
spéciale d’équipement
(special equipment tax) on this autumn’s taxe
foncière bills but it is easy to miss.
Reader Julia Grange, 67, who lives in Magnan
in the Gers, told The Connexion: “The text for it
is very small and didn’t jump out off the page
like the tax percentages, which are a larger font.”
The tax aims to raise €29.5million a year to
part-fund the major rail scheme, the grand projet
ferroviaire Sud-Ouest, which includes two high-
speed rail lines: one linking Bordeaux and Spain
by 2042, and the other connecting Bordeaux and
Toulouse, which is set to go live by 2032.
Taxpayers living in Bordeaux or Toulouse and
2,339 communes across 14 departments nearby,
within 60 minutes of a future TGV station, are
being levied with the charge. It applies to all
property-owners, both main or second homes.
Ms Grange said: “Residents are paying for a link
they won’t ever use. If we want to go to Bordeaux,
we drive to Mont de Marsan and take the train
from there. There’s no way I’d drive to Toulouse to
get the train to Bordeaux, or vice versa.”
Tourist tax hike in Occitanie region
PEOPLE holidaying in Occitanie communes will
face a 34% hike in the regional tourist tax to fund
the Toulouse-Bordeaux high-speed rail link.
From January 1, the increase in the taxe de
séjour will be imposed in Haute-Garonne, Gers,
Hautes-Pyrenees, Ariège, Lot, Tarn, Tarn-et-
Garonne, Pyrenees-Orientales, Aude and Hérault.
T A X I N G
+33 (0)805 03 00 01
+44 (0)8451 23 84 23
www.kentingtons.com
 The Connexion December 2023
The Connexion
Money / Tax page
Do SCIs have to
have their own
bank account?
IF we buy property via an SCI, does it need its
own bank account for this transaction? J.F.
WE DID not identify a law obliging SCIs to have
a dedicated account in the SCI’s name and this
was confirmed by bilingual tax lawyer Laurent
Gravelle, from Sophia-Antipolis, Alpes-Mari­times,
who said notaires generally accept funds from
shareholders’ own accounts that are paid pro rata
according to each person’s shareholding.
Even so, experts advise having a dedicated
account for the SCI from set-up to avoid compli-
cations later. This will be a compte pro as a person-
al account cannot be in a company name.
Mr Gravelle said: “For your accountant, it makes
things clearer and simpler, as they will be looking
at the company’s account only and won’t have to
take into account other accounts owned by share-
holders. Plus, if there is a tax office investigation,
it won’t look at the shareholders’ personal affairs.”
Also, for expenses (eg. improvements) to be
taken into account to reduce capital gains tax liab-
ility, you need bank statements showing where
payment came from, and it is clearer if they came
from the SCI’s account, even if it may be tolerated
that a shareholder’s personal account was used.
Mr Gravelle added that some SCIs hold part of
their capital in an ‘unliberated’ form (eg. pledged
by a shareholder) and when this is paid over, it
should be paid into an account for the company.
“Most importantly, you need a dedicated
account when you come to sell,” he said. “Some
people open an account for the company initially,
then close it [seeking to avoid professional
account bank fees] but this is a mistake because
when you come to sell, the notaire will only pay
out to an account in the SCI’s name.” At this late
stage, many banks are reluctant to open one.
Many banks offer accounts tailored for SCIs.
It is worth negotiating over fees – for example,
you could offer to leave a minimum sum on the
account. Check the terms: some online banks
have low monthly charges but a high charge per
transfer above a set minimum. Customer service
might also not be easy to contact.
Documents needed might include a copy of the
ID of the shareholder designated as the SCI’s
gérant (manager), an extrait KBIS (see monide-
num.fr), the statuts (articles of association),
and a copy of the Journal Officiel notice that
confirmed the SCI’s registration.
The Connexion welcomes queries and publishes a selection with answers in
every edition. However, please note that we cannot enter into correspondence
on money topics. Queries may be edited for length and style. Due to the sensi-
tive nature of topics we do not publish full names or addresses on these pages.
connexionfrance.com Money 33
Changes at HSBC
and Crédit Agricole
CHANGES are coming from January 1 for
people with French accounts at HSBC after the
British bank sold its French retail banking.
Photo: PaeGAG_shutterstock
HSBC told The Connexion this is a strategic
decision and not Brexit-related.
In a statement, it said it wants to focus on
investment, business and private banking on
the continent.
High street banking activities at what was
called HSBC France until three years ago (now
HSBC Continental Europe) have been sold to
Send your financial queries to an American group, which will run branches
under the brand Crédit commercial de France
Hugh MacDonald at (CCF). There was a former French bank net-
money@connexionfrance.com. Please ensure you mark work with this name that HSBC bought in the
your emails for the attention of Mr MacDonald early 2000s to turn into its French arm.
An HSBC spokeswoman said there will be no
immediate change for customers, apart from a
What does it mean that notaires must ‘invite’ new RIB bank details document and the name.
HSBC Continental Europe has kept part of
disinherited children to claim compensation?
its portfolio of mortgage loans so there is no
change for existing loans for now, but in other
cases, loans are being moved to the buyer.
A RECENT Connexion article said that a in the EU at the time of death, and where a for- In an unrelated move, UK-based clients at
2021 French law states that any children eign law was chosen that has no forced heirship. Crédit Agricole’s Normandy branches are being
who have (according to French inheritance It says the notaire should inform any (blood- transferred to the bank’s Britline service instead.
law rules) lost out because their deceased line or adopted) children of the deceased of the Britline is an internet-based service specialis-
parent made a choice of a foreign inherit- portions French law would have allowed them ing in UK clients and is run by the bank’s
ance law to apply to their will should invite (eg. half the estate in the case of one child). Normandy network.
them to claim compensation. What would If the children ask for this, the notaire should Some customers have expressed surprise at the
this ‘inviting’ mean? Is the notaire obliged to set aside for them a portion to compensate for change. A Crédit Agricole spokesman said there
agree, despite the wishes in the will? J.B. this out of any French-based estate. might have been communication issues but he
One notaire with international clients told The confirmed that, for now, this relates only to clients
THIS French law complicates matters with regard Connexion that in reality this would only happen in Nor­mandy who are UK tax residents.
to an EU inheritance regulation in force since automatically if the children and named heirs in He said there are no changes to the main bank
2015 that allows people to choose the law of their the will agree to it. If not, he said the children charges and the main difference will be that the
country of nationality to apply to their whole would have to apply to a French court to rule on customers will be the responsibility of Britline
estate. English law, for example, does not include the issue, which could usually be done without and its dedicated UK-specialist advisers, instead
any set children’s portions, unlike French law, so them having to come to France. of being attached to a high-street French bank.
allows parents more flexibility. We are not aware of any specific cases so far. However, they will still be able to use day-to-
The French law applies where the deceased or The European Commission is considering sev- day services at the latter.
one of their children was an EU citizen or living eral complaints about the French law. He said Normandy has many UK-resident
customers and it is better for them to be
Income from courses Taxation on vacant homes advised by specialists who understand the
post-Brexit rules on matters, including taxation.
He said customers of Britline express high
WE ARE UK residents. We ran short MY SECOND home is being renovated and has been satisfaction rates. However, this does mean
crafts courses at our French home in empty of furniture since March 2021. I live in the that people will be assigned to online advisers,
2021 and 2022. Is this small income of UK. Should I be exempt from property taxes? C.W. who can be contacted by private message and
interest to French authorities? K.H. email, not face to face.
TAXE foncière is generally payable whether a property is
THIS would be seen as work income and
normally you would be expected to set up a
furnished/used or not. Taxe d’habitation (TH) is generally
not payable on property that is unfurnished and unused
Refund deadline looms
French self-employment business, pay social on January 1 of the tax year, so you could claim repay- IF YOU are a UK resident and paid French
charges, and declare the income to France ment for 2022. The main issue might be supplying proof, social charges in full (17.2%) on the sale of a
in the spring after the calendar year when if requested. An exception is where your commune voted property in 2021, you have only until the end
it was earned. It would also be declarable to for TH on vacant properties but, if so, this only applies to of this month to make a claim for a refund.
the UK by self-assessment but a tax credit homes vacant for more than two years as of the relevant France agreed that only 7.5% should have
would be available to avoid double taxation. January 1. Com­munes deemed subject to housing been payable due to dispositions in the Brexit
You should note also that, post-Brexit, pressure have a separate ‘vacant homes tax’, which applies agreements but refunds are time-limited.
Britons need a visa to work in France. to homes vacant for at least one year. Property rental income also qualifies for 7.5%
(check your tax bill for 2021). Residents of
The information on these pages is of a general nature. Do not take action, France with a UK S1 form are also affected,
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 including, in their case, for investment incomes.
of these articles. These articles are intended only as a general guide. Claims can be made by online message or by
Nothing herein constitutes actual financial advice. writing to the tax office in the property’s area.
 34 Money
You cannot afford to ignore tax residency rules
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
REGULAR readers of this column will know
that I often talk about reviewing your tax plan-
ning to ensure it is suitable and efficient for a
French resident.
The first step is to understand the tax residence
rules in France compared to those of your home
country (for illustration purposes, I give the
example of the UK).
If you live here and have assets elsewhere, you
should also establish how any relevant double
taxation treaty affects you. Make sure you pay
the right tax in the right country.
Tax residency can be complex. Many people
think they are resident in one country but
actually meet the tax residency rules of another.
Paying tax in the wrong place can prove costly,
with back taxes, interest and potential fines. With
today’s automatic exchange of financial inform-
ation, you need to follow the rules carefully.
France tax residence rules
Under the Code Général des Impôts, individuals
are deemed to be tax-resident in France if one
of four tests is fulfilled:
1. France is your main residence or home
(foyer) – the place where your close family
(spouse/cohabiting partner/dependent children)
habitually live, or where most of your personal
life is centred if you are single without children.
connexionfrance.com
Your foyer can be in France even if you spend
more time out of the country.
2. France is your principal place of abode (lieu
de séjour principal). This usually means you
spend more than 183 days in France in a
calendar year, but might apply if you spend more
days here than in any other single country and
cannot prove tax residence elsewhere.
3. Your principal activity is in France. For exam-
ple, your occupation or main income arises here.
4. France is the centre of your economic
interests – where your most substantial assets
are based; your assets are administered; your
business affairs are; or where you draw a larger
part of your income.
If you meet any of these criteria, you are liable
to pay French tax on your worldwide income,
gains and property wealth.
Timing your move
France takes a ‘split-year’ approach. In the year
of arrival, only income received after you arrive
is liable to French income tax.
When leaving France, only income up to the
date of departure is taxable.
French-source income is always liable to
French taxation, regardless of residency.
When relocating, you could avoid French tax
by timing when you sell assets – but consider
where you are tax-resident at the time and what
tax is due there.
Weigh up whether you are better off selling
UK assets while you are still UK tax-resident or
waiting until you live in France.
UK tax residence test
The UK’s Statutory Residence Test can continue
to affect British expatriates.
If you spend time in both countries or retain
The Connexion December 2023
ties with the UK, you could be deemed resident
in the UK for tax purposes without realising it.
It includes three tests:
1. Automatic overseas test: You are not resident
in the UK if you spend fewer than 46 days there
in a UK tax year and were not resident in any of
the previous three tax years.
However, if you were UK-resident within the
last three years, just 16 days back could trigger
residency.
Those who work overseas full-time and spend
less than 90 days in the UK per year will not be
deemed UK-resident;
2. Automatic residence test: You are UK-
resident if you spend 183 days or more there in
the tax year, or your only or main home is in the
UK, or you work full-time there;
3. Sufficient ties test: Otherwise, whether you
are UK tax-resident or not depends on how
many ties you have with the UK (family, work,
accommodation) and how many days you
spend there.If you meet domestic tax-residency
rules of both countries, double taxation treaty
tie-breaker rules determine where you pay taxes.
Consider becoming a French resident
While you do not have a choice – you either are
or are not tax-resident under the rules – if you
have flexibility, you can be careful with the
number of days you spend in each country and
where you have assets and ties.
France may have a reputation for being a
high-tax country, but do not let that put you off
becoming resident here.
Restructuring your assets to make them
suitable for a French resident can improve your
tax liabilities – you might be surprised by how
much, especially if you are retired and living off
private pensions and investments.
French residents earning UK income
Take care to declare any UK income correctly,
following the rules of the France/UK tax treaty.
You are obliged to report all UK-source income
in France, even if you pay UK income tax.
n UK government service income – Unlike
other UK pension income, government service
pensions remain taxable in the UK.
Although the income is not taxed directly in
France, you must still include it as part of your
taxable income – a credit equal to French
income tax and social charges is given.
n UK rental income – As above, UK rental
income is taxed in the UK but must be
included on your French declaration.
n Capital gains on UK assets – French residents
must declare and pay tax on gains made on the
sale of UK property and moveable assets (such as
shares). Real estate gains are liable to tax in both
countries, with a credit in France for UK tax
paid. Moveable assets are generally taxed where
the seller is resident.
n UK savings/investments – Declare UK interest
and dividends within 15 days of the month end
and pay the 30% prélèvement forfaitaire unique
(PFU) tax. This will be offset against the tax due
on your tax return. ISAs and Premium Bond
winnings are taxable in France if you are resident.
Residency and cross-border taxation are
complex issues. Getting it right from the start
will make life easier in future, so take specialist,
personalised advice.
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.
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com Ideas 35

Telescope gives stargazers an expert view App idea fills

gap for rural
by Brian McCulloch are still learning about it

FRENCH digital telescopes are

because it is so difficult to
view,” said Mr Marfisi.
shaking up astronomy by giving The telescopes and software
amateur stargazers access to to run them are designed in
equipment previously limited to Marseille but made in China.
universities and large scientific Mr Marfisi said most buyers
institutions. are moving on from cheaper
Made by Marseille firm optical telescopes, costing
Unistellar, they have even been around €100, after realising the
credited with a scientific dis- limitations of their equipment.
covery by the journal Nature. However, around 30% are nov-
Unistellar co-founder Laurent ices buying their first telescope,
Marfisi told The Connexion: who are attracted by the quality
“Because our telescopes are and the digital guides and sky
digital, the information can be maps that come with it.
meal deliveries
A GRADUATE who is bringing
restaurant deliveries to rural
areas near her home says she
did not expect her app to be
such a hit.
Chloé Nollet, 21, created the
FLM app (for flemme – ‘lazi-
ness’) because services such as
Deliveroo did not operate in her
home town of Albert (Somme).
“I had the idea during lock-
down, when it was impossible
to get a hot meal delivered,” she

shared over the internet, which
means data from many different
locations can be collated to
discover things that might
otherwise not be seen.
“For example, when Nasa
recently crashed a spacecraft
into an asteroid to see if its
trajectory could be moved,
there were at least five main
scientific inquiries.
“One had a university
researcher coordinating a team
of 31 of our users. They were
not only the first to publish
pictures of the collision, but
by keeping their telescopes
trained on the site for a month,
they also gathered valuable
data about the dust cloud
thrown up, how it dispersed,
and the colour of the dust.”
The company launched in
Photo: Unistellar
Unistellar’s Laurent Marfisi, inset
inset,, says the As well as the asteroid comm- said. “I later found a website
telescopes work even in light-polluted settings unity telescope project, Unistellar which allows you to create an
users can join a range of other app and I decided to dive in.”
2015 with the idea of using ers in the telescope are much screen images for a while now,” collaborative astronomy projects. Ms Nollet started her business
digital technology to make a more sensitive than the human said Mr Marfisi. while she was still studying
reasonably priced telescope eye. They can also receive light “But with an eyepiece you see n Another French company, entrepreneurship in Amiens.
capable of magnifying the night for longer than the human eye and feel the infinity of space Vaonis, is making a name for She began by working with
sky a hundred times more than – for a couple of seconds – instead of a flat, two-dimension- itself with smartphone and tab- local restaurants in Albert,
traditional models. whereas the human eye regis- al image, which is why we let-driven products described picking up the deliveries herself
Thanks to partnerships with ters light for just a millisecond.” developed the eyepiece model.” as a cross between a camera in her car. There are now seven
renowned scientific organis- The cheaper model, called Both models are linked to and traditional telescope. restaurants in the town that
ations, the firm also lets users eQuinox2, costs €2,499 and software that identifies objects The firm, based near have joined the app, and two
become ‘citizen scientists’ and does not have an eyepiece. in the viewfinder, allowing Montpellier, is due to launch a in nearby Corbie, where she
contribute to cutting-edge Images are displayed either users to get optimum pictures low-cost model called Hestia in has help for the deliveries.
research. on a TV with an Apple TV of named stars or planets. June, which can be pre-ordered Since the app launched, she
“Suddenly it is possible to see link, or on a mobile phone, The telescopes can be used in for €177 from its website. It estimates there have been 1,500
stars in deep space and things tablet or laptop screen. cities and other places where claims this new model will deliveries, averaging 300 to 400
such as nebulous clouds, which A similar model, this time light pollution normally makes provide images of the sky on per month.
previously had only been seen with an eyepiece developed using one difficult. your smartphone with five “The goal is to develop else-
in pictures from professional with Japanese camera-maker Unistellar also sells a filter times the resolution and 25 where and make it into a fran-
telescopes in universities and Nikon, costs €4,499. “Most enabling users to look at the times the magnification of chise, in areas where there is a
places like Nasa,” said Mr professional astronomers have sun safely during the day. most smartphone cameras. Its lot of demand and not much
Marfisi. “The electronic captur- been used to working with “It is our nearest star but we other telescopes start at €1,500. supply,” she said.

‘Most French’
bike is 3 years Concerned about
in the making
AN E-BIKE manufacturer is resurrecting the
country’s waning bicycle industry by launching
your tax position
Photo: Clément Bonneau

what it believes to be the ‘most French’ bike of

the last 35 years – for more than €5,000.
Moustache Bikes, based in Vosges, released its
‘J’ model in September, with most of its parts,
including the frame, made in France.
Clément Bonneau, sales manager at Moustache
Bikes, said: “France used to have a really strong
bicycle industry based around Saint-Etienne
(Loire), but around 40 years ago it, and nearly all
other cycle-makers in Europe, collapsed because
of competition from Asia.
“Taiwan quickly became the world leader and
built on that position by continually innovating
to make very good products.
“However, for many reasons, we feel it is time to
make at least some of our bikes in France again.”
Just three bicycles in 20 sold in France are
made in this country. This figure rises to more
than half (52%) of e-bikes sold if you include
bikes assembled in France that qualify for the
‘Made in France’ label.
Moustache Bikes was founded in 2011 at a
time when, said Mr Bonneau, “it was very
difficult to persuade people there was a future
in e-bikes, especially expensive ones.
“Our founders dug into their savings and
that of their families to get the company off
the ground.”
From the start, the firm did most of the assem-
bly in France, with frames coming from Taiwan,
in France?
Clément Bonneau on
a Moustache e-bike
time,” said Mr Bonneau. When the decision to
make the J model in France was taken, the firm
realised it would have to start from scratch. The
process ended up taking three years.
“There was no one, apart from a few artisan
bicycle-makers, who touched bicycle manufac-
ture,” said Mr Bonneau. With expert advice, France can Talk to the people who know
“However, we realised that France has experts actually be a tax-efficient place to
in forged aluminium because of the expertise live. Much depends on how you
0 805 112 163 (N0 Vert)
required for its railways and aircraft parts.”
hold your investments and assets. france@blevinsfranks.com
The firm settled on a Marseille foundry to
make the frames, after which they are sent to a
company in Jura to ready them for the pedals, Blevins Franks has in-depth www.blevinsfranks.com
brakes and motors. From there, the bicycles go knowledge of the local tax regime
to Alsace for powder painting. and how to use it to your advantage.
Moustache Bikes sells a variety of different
models, the cheapest of which is around €2,500. Our French tax specialists can advise
The ‘Speed’ range sees the battery and motor you on tax planning solutions, to
tuned for sustained 45km/h riding. lower tax for yourself and your heirs.
In France, these models are required to have
number plates and insurance, and drivers must
wear a motorcycle helmet.
They are banned from cycle paths, but sell INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVICE • INVESTMENTS • ESTATE PLANNING • PENSIONS
well in Switzerland and Belgium, where there
are fewer restrictions. Blevins Franks Group is represented in France by the following companies: Blevins Franks Wealth Management Limited (BFWML) and Blevins Franks France

electric motors and batteries from Germany’s
Bosch company, and gears mainly from Japan.
“We wanted to make high-quality products
but it was not easy finding people with the right
“The few we have sold in France have been to 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 Services Act and authorised to carry out insurance intermediary activities under the Insurance Distribution Act. Where advice
people who live in the countryside and cycle a 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 taxation advice; its tax advisers are fully qualified tax specialists. Blevins Franks France
long distance to work,” said Mr Bonneau, “but SASU (BFF), is registered with ORIAS, registered number 07 027 475, and authorised as ‘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
most French buyers choose other models.” BX 498 800 465 APE 6622Z. Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et
005-fr

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
skills and temperaments, and perfecting our The firm has a strong export market, mainly in Services Authority for the administration of retirement schemes. This promotion has been approved and issued by BFWML.

processes so products could be improved took Europe: 45% of its e-bikes are sold outside France.
 36 Work
As much paid leave as
you like – and it works
WORKERS who are given
unlimited paid holiday are gen-
erally more productive, a firm
offering the perk has claimed.
France already has generous
holiday rules. Employees have
a minimum of five weeks paid
leave, and there are usually also
eight RTT days (réduction du
temps de travail) to negotiate.
Depending on the industry,
various other holidays can be
taken – some media folk (not
at The Connexion…) have 12
weeks’ paid leave every
summer, for example.
Employment site Indeed
has gone one step further, by
offering no hard cap on the
number of days its staff take
off. Leave must be approved by
bosses, however, so it effective-
ly depends on managing your
workload well first.
Senior sales director Charles
Chantala said: “We have done
this since 2016 and it works
very well.” The company has
12,000 staff worldwide and
105 French employees.
“On average, people take six or
seven days extra,” Mr Chantala
said. “We are already very flex-
ible about where our employees
work – in the office, from home
some days, or even fully remote
– and having flexibility to take
paid holidays when you need to,
over and above the legal entitle-
ment, fits in with our style.”
He added that staff are gener-
ally considerate about when
they take leave, and it is noted
down by human resources.
“In practice, people normally
talk it over with other members
of their team to see if it is feas-
ible. That way, they can make
sure they will not be leaving
colleagues in the lurch.”
Mr Chantala said he only
Free business skills training
OWNERS of small businesses
can brush up on their skills
with up to three free training
sessions.
Funded by the government’s
Covid recovery plan, France
Num courses (francenum.gouv.
fr) run for three to 10 hours,
and are created by industry
experts. They aim to help small
business owners get to grips
with digital technology or
improve their existing skills
to improve profitability.
Courses cover a range of sub-
jects, from communications
and advertising to digital strat-
egy, and are open to all sectors.
Some even target specific
industries, including catering
and accommodation, craft
Public shame for late payment
FAST food giant McDonald’s, utility company Veolia and DIY
chain Brico Dépôt are among 40 companies that have been
publicly named and shamed for paying invoices late.
The list was published by competition policy and consumer
affairs body the DGCCRF, alongside the amount each firm had
been fined for these breaches of the French Code du commerce.
Payment must not exceed 60 days from the date of invoice, or 45
days from the month end. The DGCCRF warns late payment “is
seriously detrimental to the profitability of creditor companies”.
knew of one case where a
request was turned down,
and that was because of a big
project on deadline.
Most workers used the addit-
ional leave to help out family or
friends, to move house or for big
DIY projects, rather than going
away, except at the end of the
year when days are often used to
extend the New Year break.
“In general, removing the
worry about how much leave
you have left means people are
a bit more relaxed and
productive,” Mr Chantala said.
“We are a service industry
and flexible, so it works for us,
but I do not think it would be
possible in a factory or building
firm, for example, where people
have to be physically present.”
He added that the impact
of unlimited holidays was
probably less in France, with its
generous paid holiday system,
than in the US, where there is
very little paid leave.
A study this year by Belgian
human resources firm SD Worx,
which has French offices, found
that 46% of workers here had no
opinion on whether unlimited
paid holidays were a good idea.
Another 15% thought they were
a bad idea.
The study found that in com-
panies in France that offered
unlimited paid holidays, a third
of employees never took them,
another third took just one or
two days extra, and less than a
quarter took many more holi-
days than they would otherwise.
A third of employers said they
had not considered offering
unlimited paid leave to staff,
a third believed it would not
work, and only the final third
thought it might be good for
their business.
manufacturing and accounting.
To be eligible, your business
must be based in France and
have been in legal existence
for at least two years.
It must have a turnover of
more than €15,000 for the last
financial year, and not have
been declared in receivership.
Applicants need a laptop and
internet access, and should not
have already registered for
three training sessions as part
of the same programme.
Coaching is collective, with
between six and 20 people in
a group. It takes place either
face to face, online or using a
combination of the two.
Find a list of courses at
tinyurl.com/3ef3cyf8.
connexionfrance.com
That’s a wrap! Festive season
is sewn up well in advance
The design team usually starts work on the festive range in March, anticipating trends by working with a consultancy firm
by Annaliza Davis
SHE used to sketch fashion
designs in her bedroom as
a child. Now 26, Fanette
Peschaud is a designer for a
national gift-packaging
company north east of Lille.
Some of the festive paper and
gift bags on shop shelves this
season were first sketched by
Fanette and her colleagues more
than a year ago, before being
manufactured and distributed
ready for this Christmas.
“I’ve always been creative and,
for as long as I can remember,
I’ve enjoyed coming up with
designs and working with my
hands,” she says.
“When I was little, I dreamed
of being a fashion designer
and I used to spend my time
designing outfits. I was partic-
ularly interested in working
with patterns, but I never could
have envisaged the career I
have now.”
Her route into the profession
has not been straightforward.
“After my baccalauréat, I
studied psychology for a year
before choosing applied arts,
where I discovered I really
enjoyed working with textiles.
“I took a BTS [similar to a
Higher National Diploma] in
textile design, followed by a
Licence Pro [vocational degree],
and this led to my first job as a
textile designer for childrens-
The Connexion December 2023
Left: Fanette Peschaud started
her job 18 months ago
Right: This year’s gift wrap
trend is for a more stripped-
back, natural feel
CRAFTS
in focus
Gift packaging designer –
Concepteur de décors
pour paquets cadeaux
wear.” After that, Fanette moved inspiration from them and
to a role designing household rework them in-house until
linen before securing a position we get a design that is a perfect
at Clayrton’s in Roubaix. match for our customers.
“I joined the company 18 “We analyse the themes, the
months ago to replace someone style of graphics, the textures
who was on maternity leave,
then I was lucky enough to sign
and the season’s must-haves,
then decide on up-to-date
a permanent contract because colour ranges.”
the firm was looking to take on In practice, this means that
a second designer,” she says. alongside the traditional festive
Fanette works on designs for combinations of red, green and
two brands – Clayrton’s Floral gold, plus the elegant altern-
and Créastyl. ative palette of black and gold,
“There are five of us in the Fanette’s team usually adds new
design department. Between ranges that reflect latest tastes.
us, we work on research and “This season, for example,
development, the liaison there’s a sense of nostalgia and
between design and product- going back to the simple things,
ion, and essentially cover the so there’s a call for a more
whole evolution of each range stripped-back, natural feel that
from the initial sketches to the has a marked ecological aware-
finished product. ness,” she says.
“Christmas starts early here, “We already manufacture
and although we generally with water-based inks and are
begin creating the festive eco-friendly in our approach,
collection in March, it can be so this works well for us.”
a lot earlier. For example, we Globally, France produces
are currently working on the and uses very little gift wrap:
2024 Christmas collection, an estimated 40 million rolls of
which will be presented at the
Christmas World trade fair in
wrapping paper are bought in
the country each year, and half
January, before being released of this is for the festive season.
at the end of next year.” Créastyl is one of the few
Much of Fanette’s role relies French packaging companies
on anticipating trends, rather with its own in-house design
like the fashion industry. team. Founded in 1979 in the
“To do this, we work with Rhône-Alpes, it relocated to
a specialist consultancy that Roubaix near the Belgian
helps us to predict upcoming border in 2014 when they
trends,” she says. “We draw were acquired by the floral and
Photos: Creastyl
festive company Clayrton’s. “As
well as traditional wrapping
paper, we design kraft-paper
bags, bottle bags and labels,
most of which are printed here
in Roubaix,” says Fanette.
“We produce standard ranges
for all occasions, a children’s
range and a Valentine’s Day
range, and we also offer a person-
alisation service for packaging
and for the floral designs.”
Fanette finds Valentine’s Day
the most challenging holiday
to design for.
“It’s not necessarily an event
that I celebrate, so I have to try
to get myself in the mindset of
a person with desires and tastes
that are different from mine.
“On a technical level, bags
and cones are always more
tricky to design than wrapping
paper, although they’re still a
nice little challenge.”
She urges anyone with a
creative streak who would be
interested in this type of work
to take the plunge.
“Even if studying art can be
a bit of a scary choice, do it,”
she says.
“Personally, I don’t believe in
innate talent; for me, its pract-
ice, desire and passion that
really bring results.
“Don’t put barriers in your
way: stay curious, take pleasure
in whatever you’re creating,
and try out different tech-
niques, no matter the result.”
 The Connexion December 2023
Bubble has not entirely burst
on spherical 60s movement
Architecture
of France...
Maisons- ByTHEOPHILE
LARCHER
bulles
A FRANCO-American couple are renovat-
ing one of France’s distinctive bubble houses
in the Chartreuse mountains in Isère – and
are shining new light on the architectural
movement behind it as they do so.
Alice Christophe and Scott Lawrimore,
both art historians and museum curators,
have been working on maison-bulle Le
Balcon de Belledonne since June 2021.
The property is located at an altitude of
1,200m and commands breathtaking views
of the Belledonne mountain range in the
French Alps.
However, it is the house that most people
want to photograph. Its unusual curved
form dates from 1966 and is nicknamed
‘The Whale’ by locals.
“There is a view where the back of
the house does look like the fin,” says
Mr Lawrimore.
The property was designed by architects
Claude Costy and Pascal Häusermann,
whose work playfully reimagined ways of
building and living. It comprises a main
space of approximately 50m², plus two
smaller connected elements measuring
5m² each, and a 20m² annexe.
A balcony and swimming pool were also
built into the rock and slope of the land.
The project was initially conceived as a
vegetarian restaurant but was actually used
as a wellness/leisure centre.
When the original owner sold it in the
1970s, it briefly became a painting studio
and underwent modifications.
It was bought in 1995 by a couple who
made the adjacent old barn their family
home. The bubble house was largely
untouched and soon started to deteriorate.
It was sold off separately to new owners
in 2007 before changing hands again when
Mr Lawrimore and Ms Christophe found it
for sale on classified ads website Leboncoin
and fell in love with it.
They have split the renovation into two
phases and have just finished the first, the
main house. Progress is being chronicled
on a dedicated website, and now interested
readers can see it for themselves by book-
ing to stay there. By doing so, they will
fund the rest of the renovation.
“Our focus was on getting back down
to the structure of the house itself,” Mr
Lawrimore says, “to go to the very essence
of the building’s texture and materiality.”
It was built using a technique called
‘veiled concrete’, where metal bars are bent
and spanned with wire mesh before being
covered with concrete. The organic shapes
limited the footprint of the foundations, as
well as saving on material costs compared
to traditional ‘square’ homes.
“I had to learn so many new techniques
and tools and materials,” says Mr Lawri-
more, “but in the end it was quite simple.”
Investing in the unusual building “was
no more odd than in a giant chateau in my
mind”, he says, and the couple are keen to
use their experience to better inform
people about the place such properties
have in France’s architectural history.
“From an architectural standpoint, I have
Alice Christophe and Scott Lawrimore, inset, bought the house on Leboncoin
never experienced my country the way I
have at Le Balcon de Belledonne,” says Ms
Christophe, who grew up in north east
France amid tiles and half-timbered
houses.“It has been a revelation.”
Raphaëlle Saint-Pierre, a historian and
architecture journalist, says she, too, was
taken by surprise when researching her
2015 book Maisons-bulles: Architectures
organiques des années 1960-1970.
Although unable to give a precise figure
of how many bubble houses were built in
France, she estimates there are several
dozen. They date from 1950 to 1970 and
were mostly built by four powerhouse
architects: Claude Costy and her Swiss
husband Pascal Häusermann; Jean Prouvé;
and the Hungarian Antti Lovag.
The maisons-bulles architects wanted to
break free from the upright, rectilinear,
sharp-edged buildings within which
Grands Ensembles collective properties
and brutalist styles splintered and thrived
in the wake of World War Two.
They wanted the antithesis, inspired
by the counter-culture and futuristic
architecture of the 1960s.
Materials were lighter and forms circular,
with the lack of angles creating a more
cocooning domestic environment.
Ms Saint-Pierre says: “They sought an
architecture they considered more human
and sensual.
“It is a mixture of primitive forms – a
cave, a protective shell – which blend with
nature. But there is also an element of
futurism – of flying saucers and domes.”
Le Balcon de Belledonne still carries that
heritage, albeit hidden under layers of
varnish or paint from successive owners,
who did not consider the damage it might
cause the structure over the years.
“I have been surprised by how the space
feels,” says Ms Christophe. “The way you
feel wrapped and protected, the way it
integrates in the environment, like a rock
in the midst of plants.”
Its construction came at the tail end
of the maison-bulle trend. The move-
ment’s decline can be linked to insulation
problems as well as new urbanism laws
connexionfrance.com Property 37
Property Watch
Department 50:
in
Manche
DEPARTMENTAL CAPITAL: Saint-Lô
MAIN CITIES/TOWNS: Cherbourg, Coutances, Granville, Avranches
MANCHE is the long ‘thumb’ sticking out into the English
Channel (in French this is known as La Manche –literally
‘sleeve’, and hence the department’s name).
As many people who have raced to catch a ferry from
Cherbourg for Poole or Portsmouth will know, it is long –
around 150km from the south to its northernmost tip –
and most of its roads are two-lane.
There are only 80km separating the south coast of England
from the north of Manche, but even so, the weather is almost
always that bit warmer and sunnier on the Manche peninsula
than the Isle of Wight.
It is one of the richest, if not the richest, agricultural
departments in France. Milk, apples, corn, beef and lamb
all grow to perfection most years.
Cherbourg is no longer the main port for transatlantic liners
but still has ferry crossings, as well as a slow train service to
Paris. The department is also a centre for nuclear submarine
building, nuclear power at La Hague, and, more recently,
assembling off-shore wind turbines.
There are still property bargains to be had, including old
Photos: Alice Christophe & Scott Lawrimore
farmhouses priced under €50,000 if you are prepared to do
work. One example was a two-room 70m² house with stone
walls and brick window surrounds. It came with two attached
barns and 1,169m² of land for €29,500 in La Colombe in
the extreme south of the department. The walls looked solid,
some of the corrugated iron roof would need replacement, but
the house could be camped in while work starts.
Around 15% of properties are second homes, according to
2019 figures from the state statistics agency Insee.
imposed by the government in the 1970s,
forcing a return to a more straightforward
What your money buys
aesthetic.
Only Antti Lovag remained committed Under €90,000
to the game, creating the Palais Bulles
between 1975 and 1989 in Théoule-sur-
Mer, near Cannes. This is perhaps the best
known of all France’s maisons-bulles, and
was for many years the Riviera holiday
home of fashion designer Pierre Cardin.
The restoration of Le Balcon de Belle-
donne should renew interest in these
fascinating buildings after a rather
precarious few decades.
Successive periods of abandonment and
real fears for its future saw the Isère bubble A quaint country cottage with A pretty, detached two-bed stone
house designated Architecture Contempor- one/two beds, situated just village house close to the market
aine Remarquable in 2003 as part of efforts 2.5km from Barenton. town of Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët.
to preserve it. This lovely cottage is located on the Located in the village centre, this
Between 2007 and 2020, different owners edge of a small hamlet and has property is well maintained with a
wonderful views across farmland. delightful garden and a separate
tried to breathe life into it by changing There is off-street parking to the outbuilding. Ferries and airports are
the original cooking fire pit and wrapping side and an enclosed garden. within two hours of this house.
the entire structure in a PVC liner in a €76,600 Ref: A23701LE50 €88,000 Ref: A19518RL50
failed attempt to make the house liveable
year-round.
“I don’t want to sound too dramatic,
but when I removed the insulation on the
More than €159,000
exterior, I literally felt the building breathe
again,” says Mr Lawrimore.
The couple are focused on using organic
materials wherever possible to trap heat
in winter and keep the house cool over
summer, making it liveable for nine
months of the year.
To that end, they have already reached
out to the property’s original architect,
Claude Costy, whose input has been
invaluable. A large, three-bed rural property An immaculate detached three-
“We had a raft of options, from very with exceptional views and a lot of bed house, set on land of
simple to very complicated,” says potential in a friendly area. 3,000m² in a quiet location.
Ms Christophe. “She saved us so much A very comfortable house to live This property is located at the end of
time and money because her approach in with land for small animals and a no-through road, is not overlooked,
is so incredibly simple.” outbuildings, including the possibility and has wide open views across the
Ms Costy, now 92, visited the house last to convert one to a gîte. Just 1.6km countryside in the village of Gorges.
from the delightful town of Le Teilleul. Within 30mins of the coast.
winter to check on progress.
“I think she was very touched to see it €159,450 Ref: A18204RBR50 €235,400 Ref: A22924JCO50
in this condition,” says Ms Christophe. Properties available through Leggett Immobilier
Mr Lawrimore adds: “The gratifying frenchestateagents.com Tel: 05 53 56 62 54
thing for us is knowing we’re part of this
building’s history and maintaining it for Next month: We look at Marne
posterity.”
38 PRACTICAL: Property

LegalNotes Splurging on
connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

Your questions
answered
€110 kit is key
to changing
Matthew Cameron, partner
with Ashtons Legal,
answers a
reader query.

What are rules for demolishing/rebuilding?

Q: I am considering buying a
French property to demolish
so as to rebuild on the site.
What are the rules around that?
A: FRANCE has well-estab-
conforms to pre-existing
planning regulations, it
is usually permissible to
old door lock
DIY
replace it ‘like for like’. from experience that locks are
This is all-important when fiddly things and if one catch
it comes to considering not or spring pops out, you are left

Photo: Nick Inman

lished procedures that apply
when you are looking to
carry out development work
on a property. Less known
is the fact that permission is
also required to demolish
a building.
There is, of course, logic
in this. Part of the rationale
of the planning process is to
have an up-to-date directory
of properties in each
region, so it is important
to authorise the destruction
of one, just as it is the
construction.
Planning authorities also
want to control building
location, type and density in
a region to take into account
many local influences.
Land is generally split into
different zones for planning
purposes. Where it is desig-
nated agricultural or non-
constructible, it follows that
new building projects will
probably be hard to justify,
if not impossible. Provided,
however, that a building
Tel: +44 (0)113 393 1930  heslop-platt.co.uk
contact@heslop-platt.co.uk
just construction applica-
tions, but also demolition.
There is a much-discussed
case in which a property
owner wanted to demolish
and then rebuild. They duly
submitted an application
to knock down the existing
building, which was granted.
Yet their subsequent
request to construct a new
house was refused. The
property was situated in a
non-constructible zone.
Once they had demolished
the existing building, there
was no ‘footprint’ left, so no
option to replace it.
The above is a rather
extreme and rare example.
It does, however, highlight
the importance of detailed
preparation when looking
to develop land. Planning
rules are complex and vary
between areas. The extra
expense of commissioning
the expertise of a planning
consultant or architect will
be worthwhile.
Nick Inman
charts the ups
and downs of
renovating
an old
French
farmhouse
“CLACK!” For the last 20 years
I have been lifting the handle
of my farmhouse door when I
turn the key in order for two
metal pegs, top and bottom, to
slide into place and block the
way to intruders.
This time it went “clack!”.
Maybe it was just a spring that
had worn out, but it sounded
ominous. What if the door got
jammed closed or, even worse,
stuck open?
Dismantling the mechanism
meant removing the entire
170cm metal strip with the
mechanism attached (the
barrel with the key is a separate
item). There was nothing
visibly wrong with it. I could
have opened it up but I know
with a confusing puzzle.
I therefore decided to replace
the lock. It could not be that
difficult or expensive, could it?
The only marking on the lock
was ‘Ferco 1991’ – the manu-
facturer and date it was made.
My local DIY shop did not sell
anything that looked like it so I
went online, hoping to find the
identical item. There were Ferco
locks but it was not easy figuring
out which model was mine.
I quickly realised I would have
to become a short-term expert if
I was going to do it myself.
The first question: what is my
thingummy called? In English,
I suppose we would say ‘multi-
point lock’. In French, it is a
serrure trois points encastrable
or a crémone barillet.
The next problem was figuring
out the specifications.
After a little searching, I
found a company called Brico-
zor (bricozor.com), which had
helpful diagrams and offered
advice by email.
Certain measurements are
essential to find the right
model. You also need to learn
Replacing the old lock, inset, was
more complicated than envisaged
the lingo: galet (steel peg that
goes into the door frame),
têtière or tringle (vertical steel
plate), and axe (the distance
between the edge of the door
and the middle of the keyhole.
Get one thing wrong and you
will end up with a lock that
does not fit.
It is helpful to take a photo
of the mechanism box (boîtier)
so you can compare it with the
new one: all the holes must line
up exactly.
Eventually, I learned that my
lock was long out of date and
it was pointless searching for
an exact replacement. The
manufacturers had decided it
was not worth their while to
make all the old models.
Instead they make a universal
kit ingeniously adapted to fit a
range of doors by cutting two
prolongateurs (extensions) to
the required size.
The kit was expensive – €110 –
and I was worried the adapta-
tion would be beyond my skills.
However, I could not see a sim-
pler solution and a locksmith
would cost twice the price.
My son-in-law helped and I
was grateful for that: it is useful
to have another brain to figure
out the little tricks needed to
make the job work.
Fitting the kit required careful
measuring before I cut the steel
bar with an angle grinder.
Part of me feared it would go
wrong. The first cut had to be
the final one – a mistake would
have been a hundred euros
down the drain. Fortunately, we
got it right and everything fitted
snugly.
The last job was to move the
slot in the door to receive the
upper bolt (the makers of the
kit obviously had not allowed
for exact positioning of the
1991 lock), but that was a fairly
easy task.
n Next month:
Missing timber

Couple’s frustration over home renovation grant

Can I build pond if pool has been refused?
Q: What is the position of
mairies on natural ponds with
a swimming area? There would
be no chlorine, just filtration
by reeds. We are not allowed
a pool but is a swimming
pond permitted?
however, is not permitted if
you are not allowed to have
a pool.
Ponds used for livestock,
which used to be found on
many French properties,
have mostly been filled in.
EFFORTS to claim €4,000 in state grants minds, and I called and emailed regularly.
for renovation work have been likened to We did not know what the outcome would
“banging your head against a brick wall” be,” said Erik.
by a couple who eventually gave up. Hearing of France Rénov’ from a news-
Connexion readers Erik and Jesica paper advertisement, Erik contacted the
Uzureau spent more than two years apply- public service platform for free personal-
ing for the government’s MaPrimeRénov’ ised advice and was quickly given an
scheme, which offers financial aid to appointment with an adviser.
improve the energy efficiency of homes. “They sat down with us, went through
Mr Uzureau, an American, and his wife, the process, and basically told us we
Photo: Uzureau family

Farmers can no longer let who is French, sought the grant as part of would never get the grant because the
A: WHEN you say you are not animals drink directly from a €250,000 project to buy and renovate work was done before estimates from
allowed a pool, we assume rivers, or from ponds that their house in Bordeaux. RGE artisans had gone through the
it is because you are close might run into them. The energy work included installing a application process,” he said.
to a historic monument or However, there might still solar-boosted hot water system, insulating Erik and Jesica Uzureau and children “I strongly recommend anyone thinking
because digging will cause be one hidden on your land the loft and walls, and double-glazing the of MaPrimeRénov’ to go to France Rénov’
problems to communal that you could rehabilitate. windows. that things would not be plain sailing was first, because even when you think you are
infrastructure, eg. pipes. France has reasonably They said they initially used an online when MaPrimeRénov’ emailed to say the capable of dealing with paperwork and
Unfortunately, the same strict rules about pool calculator on the MaPrimeRénov’ website, proof of ownership of the house was not bureaucracy in French like we did, you risk
rules apply to a ‘swimming safety so consider these in which came up with the €4,000 grant figure. sufficient. banging your head against a brick wall.”
pond’ (piscine naturelle). your plans if you do make a “It seemed simple at the time, and €4,000 They eventually had to scan and upload By contrast, applying for a Prime Eco
If you already have a pond, swimming pond. would have been a great help,” Erik said. the papers received from the notaire. Energie grant offered by supermarket group
you can swim in it and, An alternative is to install “It was only when we went to the new “That took nine months because our Auchan, worth between €2,000 and €3,000,
with a bit of luck, manage an above-ground pool. France Rénov’ information service that we request was moved from one queue to “was like getting a letter in the post”, Erik
to make a beach and plant This does not require got a face-to-face interview with someone another,” he said. said. “The key document was an energy
reeds to keep the water authorisation, as long as who knew what they were talking about They were then told that one of the assessment from a specialist. Once we had
clean. you move it after three and who explained to us clearly that we artisans employed by the architect to that, it only took around two weeks.
Digging one from scratch, months. had done just about everything wrong.” insulate the walls did not have the required “The energy assessment, which we also
The couple had employed an architect for Reconnu Garant de l’Environnement needed for the MaPrimeRénov’ grant, cost
Tel: 05 61 57 90 86  www.brightavocats.com the project who became the maître d’oeuvre (recognised environment professional, around €1,000, so Auchan covered that
(similar to a project manager). RGE) certification. and more.”
cabinet@brightavocats.com “He informed us at the start that he did It meant the whole project had to be Prime Eco Energie grants are available
If you have a legal query send it to news@connexionfrance.com not work on the government grant side of resubmitted without the walls. Again, there from a number of large French companies
We select two questions to answer in each edition things and that we would have to do it was a long delay. as part of a deal agreed with the govern-
ourselves,” said Erik. The first indication “It was always nagging in the back of our ment to help reduce CO2 emissions.
 The Connexion December 2023 connexionfrance.com Property 39
Bad solar panel
deal does not Rubbish way to create an arty home
cancel bank loan The Connexion meets

Photos: Sarah Henshaw

A HOMEOWNER who
claimed he was misled into
installing solar panels is still
obliged to repay the bank loan
for the work, a court has ruled.
Previously, the law had
favoured property-owners
where work was of poor
quality and the bank had not
checked before paying the
installer, or in cases where
homeowners said they were
tricked into signing for panels
in the first instance.
Solar panel cold-callers often
claim that bank loans will cover
the installation, with future
repayments met by selling elec-
tricity produced by the panels.
However, the case heard in
September ruled in favour of
the bank, after the homeowner
stopped repaying his loan three
years after a solar installation.
He argued that the panels had
never produced the amount of
electricity promised in his con-
tract, and that the bank should
have checked the figures before
agreeing the loan.
He also said the bank should
have ascertained if the install-
ation was prompted by cold-
callers.
However, the Cour de cass-
ation noted that when the loan
application was made, the work
had already been done and the
homeowner appeared satisfied.
This absolved the bank of
responsibility for any work
done before this, judges said.
Estate agency
hit by domestic
abuse scandal
AN AWARD-winning chain
of estate agents founded by TV
star Stéphane Plaza has seen its
sales hit after allegations against
him of domestic violence.
Stéphane Plaza Immobilier
a pair of Dutch artists
who have creatively
cannibalised items
from brocantes,
house sales and even
the déchèterie to
renovate their home
– and bring a smile
to the community
WHEN artists Derk-Jan
Gerritsen and Honorine van
Citters started house-hunting
in Nièvre in 1998, the plan was
simply to buy a small holiday
home as respite from city living
in Haarlem, the Netherlands.
After a tiny, tick-all-the-
boxes, two-room property fell
through, however, they panick-
ed and widened their search
to “anything and everything”,
says Honorine – even homes
outside their budget.
The result: a sprawling,
dilapidated farmhouse (and
outbuildings) in a small village
on the River Yonne, not far
from Clamecy.
“It had been empty for 30
years and we were both 30 at
the time, so it felt like it had
been waiting for us,” she says.
Her husband, Derk-Jan,
admits the price was also an
attraction: “If you come from
somewhere like Holland, where
every square centimetre has a
value, the cost of property in
rural France feels like such
an opportunity.
“Even in the countryside in
Holland, this farmhouse would
have been 10 times the price.
“We ended up paying 250,000
French francs (about €40,000).
Admittedly, the whole roof
had to be re-done, there were
windows missing, a big beam
Derk-Jan and Honorine in front of
one of their converted barns
to replace – things were falling
down. The previous owner had
done the bare minimum to
keep the property standing. But
that didn’t scare us. We were
just in love with the place.”
With cows still in the barn,
and no sewerage, heating,
indoor washing or toilet facil-
ities, the couple initially had to
rough it. They credit years of
squat-living in creative comm-
unities in the Netherlands
for preparing them for the
hardships, and Derk-Jan insists
those early months of “camp-
ing” yielded great memories.
What they were not prepared
for, however, was the toll that
splitting time between the
Netherlands and their new life
in France would take, and they
made the decision to move
permanently in 2000.
Their first priority was fixing
the front roof, which they did
entirely themselves, without
scaffolding or other profession-
al equipment. Derk-Jan, whose
An automaton in the studio
could get people out of the
main house and give everyone
their own space. It gave us the
idea to set up a permanent gîte,
which is now a useful income.”
Other parts of the property
have been creatively re-imagin-
ed, including a huge room in
the main building that serves
as a gallery/live music/film
art is focused on making screening/party space.
automatons from recycled Meanwhile, a barn that prev-
materials collected from iously stored farm machinery
brocantes, vide-maisons and has been flooded with light
the déchèterie, was quick to thanks to a new facade of recy-
apply his unique creative skills cled windows. It is in here that
to the renovation, fashioning Derk-Jan works on his Heath
a pulley to hoist tiles from a Robinson-esque inventions,
moped wheel and an old which he periodically allows
photocopier motor. members of the public to view.
Honorine has been no less The couple also host a hugely
resourceful over the years, even popular annual Singer Street
making her own paint for the Race. Another showcase for
interiors. their zany ideas, it features
They both admit they were remote-controlled sewing
aided by volunteer labourers machines on wheels, zipping
(mainly friends and family) around a challenging obstacle
from Holland, who they rallied course in the centre of the
in the early stages to help out
in return for free board and
village, and is open to all to
take part.
lodging.
“It took a bit of getting used
So, 25 years on, is the house
finally finished? No, laughs
to,” admits Derk-Jan. “In
Holland we’d see our friends for
Honorine, “and it never will be.”
Derk-Jan says: “The house is
a few hours. Here they stayed patient. It says: ‘Okay, if you
for a week. We ended up charg- can’t do it this year, do it next.
ing them a little per night, just I won’t fall apart straight away.’
for food. Later, we converted “I think creative people are
one of the outbuildings so we always worried that they’ll get
Gallery/screening/
performance room
bored. Here, that will never
happen. There’s always some-
thing to do.”
Just to make sure, the couple
recently bought two additional
properties – an old mill not
far from the farmhouse, and
what they describe as a ‘garden
house’ on an olive plantation
in Italy.
Unsurprisingly, both have
next to nothing in the way
of traditional ‘comfort’ and
facilities.
The guiding principle for all
these buildings is ultimately
“restoration, not transform-
ation” – a soft-footed approach
that has been informed as
much by environmental con-
siderations and limited funds
as a firmly-held belief that they
are merely custodians of the
property.
“We try to re-use whenever
we can. We’ve always been
like that but when you start
living in the countryside, you
realise how it works in nature
and don’t just do it because
someone on the TV tells you
to,” says Derk-Jan.
“In these properties that have
been here for 300 years, you
can’t help but realise you’re just
a visitor.
“They were there before you
arrived on the planet and will
remain long after you’ve gone.”

New kind of viager equity release deal is ‘less morbid’

was launched in 2015 by
Mr Plaza and TV channel M6,
for which he presents several
property shows.
It has around 4,000 agents
working from 700 offices
around the country, and is now
considered one of the ‘big five’
French estate agencies.
Agents are mainly on five-
year contracts, with heavy pen-
alties (around €50,000) if they
leave the network, and a clause
forbidding them from working
for a rival firm for a year after.
Some agents say that allega-
tions against Mr Plaza from
former partners, which sur-
faced in September, led to
deals falling through.
Agents have reportedly
contacted lawyers to decide
if they can claim for both
moral and financial losses
due to the affair.
Mr Plaza denies all allegations
against him.
Before the scandal broke, his
agency had been hailed agent
of the year for a fourth consec-
utive time by an In Marketing
Survey of 4,500 consumers.
IF YOU want to release equity from
your home while still living in it, selling
en viager to an investment fund could
be an option to research.
This version of the en viager sale (where
the buyer does not take possession until
the seller has died) typically takes away
much of the potentially off-putting
morbid element of the traditional viager.
In this sale, there is usually no regular
‘rent’ for the seller in their lifetime, but
they can expect a larger upfront sum.
And the buyer is a relatively faceless
institution, not a member of the public
who has essentially made a bet on your
death coming sooner rather than later...
Such institutional investors now make
up half of the viager market in France,
according to an industry expert.
In its classic format, a viager sale
involves the buyer paying part of the
market value of the property to the
seller as an upfront lump sum called the
bouquet, often around 30% of the value.
The seller then maintains a lifetime
right to use or live in the property, while
the buyer pays them a regular rent on a
monthly or three-monthly basis.
The price depends on the value of the
property and the life expectancy of the
seller when the deal is done.
It has always had a bit of a morbid
reputation, as buyers get the best deal
if the seller dies quickly.
Traditionally, viager deals have been
between members of the public, but there
is growing interest from institutional
investors, said Eric Guillaume, founder
of Virage Viager.
“As someone working at a retirement
fund, I became aware that the viager
market was at best flat, in spite of the
advantages it offered,” he told The Con-
nexion. The problem is that buyer and
seller want different things – the buyer
to pay as little as possible for the bou-
quet and to pay rent for as short a time
as possible, while the seller hopes to get
an advantage from their property and
a monthly sum to live on.
“With the increase in longevity, there
were more people who wanted to sell in
a viager deal, but not many individuals
who wanted to buy.
“The solution I came up with is a sys-
tem where the buyers are institutional
investors, not individuals.”
For a viager mutualisé, institutional
buyers usually pay a fixed sum for a
property, and no ongoing rent, with the
property going into funds either as capi-
tal reserves or as part of unit-based
assurance vie regulated insurance
savings accounts.
“If someone aged 60 has a €1million
flat in Paris, and insurance tables
estimate they will live for 20 years,
the rental value of the property for 20
years will, for example, be assessed at
€350,000,” said Mr Guillaume.
“That means an institutional buyer
will pay a lump sum of €650,000 for the
property, and the owner will live in it
until they die.
“With a traditional viager, the €650,000
is usually divided into a lump sum of
€200,000 with an estimated €450,000 in
rent payments over 20 years.”
Mr Guillaume started mutualised
funds in 2010, initially reserved for
funds with capital reserves in property.
Unit-based funds for assurance vie were
introduced in 2017.
“From 2012 to 2020, an estimated
€50million was in viager mutualisé,”
said Mr Guillaume. “From 2021 until
now, the figure is more like €1billion.”
Precise figures are not available, but
Mr Guillaume estimates that institution-
al investors now make up half of the
viager market. He warned, though, that
investors are mainly interested in prop-
erties where the market is strong.
“If you have a large, beautifully
restored property close to somewhere
like Sarlat in Dordogne, they might be
interested. However, if you have a small,
beautifully restored farmhouse miles
from anywhere, in rural France, you will
be much better off looking for indi-
vidual investors, because the property
market for that sort of house is slow.
“Similarly, if you have a flat in Biarritz,
on the seafront in Nice or at Saint-Jean-
de-Luz, institutional buyers will be
interested straight away.”
For people looking to invest in prop-
erty funds, Mr Guillaume said some in-
surance firms and banks now offer this.
“It is possible to have an assurance vie
account with half the units in a viager
property fund and half in shares,” he said.
 The Back Page connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2023

First rule of French cooking? Rip up the recipe book

Celebrity chef Julia Child

Photos: La Peetch
Who was Julia Child?

Photo: Science History Images/Alamy

inspired legions of American
fans to give French cooking a
go. Now, the new owners of
her Alpes-Maritimes house
are continuing that legacy
- but with an emphasis on
technique rather than
tackling specific recipes.
Léon Xu pays a visit
TUCKED into the hills of Grasse in the
south of France, the picturesque former
home of America’s first celebrity chef is
still bustling with culinary activity.
Julia Child and her husband Paul
built La Pitchoune (also known as
La Peetch) during the 1960s.
It became their holiday hideaway
in the Alpes-Maritimes village of
Plascassier for more than two decades.
The stucco house now offers the op-
portunity to master the art of French
cuisine, thanks to its second incarna-
tion as a cooking school.
Makenna Held, a Colorado-born
entrepreneur who went to the same
college as Mrs Child, saw the house for
sale in The New York Times in 2015.
She bought it without even visiting.
The previous owners had already
established it as a cooking school, but
Ms Held was eager to add her own
signature twist.
Over the course of one intensive
week, students on her ‘Courageous
praised both for
JULIA Child was a US cooking its clarity and its
expert, author and TV personality, comprehensiveness.
credited with bringing French Julia also present-
cuisine into the American home. ed several television
Her expertise was acquired during cooking shows in
her years in Paris after World War the United States,
Two (Julia’s husband was a diplo- where her humour,
mat) where she studied at the city’s exuberance and unpretentiousness
Cordon Bleu cooking school. She earned her many fans. Her autobi-
was the only woman in her class. ography, My Life in France, provid-
She went on to write the bestsell- ed the inspiration for 2009 film
ing cookbook Mastering the Art of Julie & Julia, starring Meryl Streep.
French Cooking, which was roundly Julia Child died in August 2004.
Makenna Held and husband Chris Nylund in Julia Child’s former kitchen
Cooking’ programme are given “an Kendall Lane, La Pitchoune’s execu- During the summer season, the “There is this whole myth around
immersive, recipe-free culinary tive chef, says students master nearly school is turned into a luxury hotel, Julia Child and French cuisine,” Ms
education,” including shopping for all of the key French techniques, such with Ms Lane and Ms Held providing Held explained, “and if it’s put on a
ingredients at the local market and as sauces, braises, souflées, mousses three meals a day for up to a dozen pedestal, it’s scary.
learning what is in season. and sautéeing. But instead of specific hungry and food curious guests. “If you fail, it is sacrilege, but it really
The website makes it perfectly clear: recipes, she teaches a ‘food pyramid’. Ms Lane’s husband Ross pairs the shouldn’t be. The only thing that mat-
“We are not a Julia Child Cooking This, she says, can be built on any wine, while Ms Held’s husband Chris ters in the end is if the food is tasty.”
School. Nor will we cook like her.” foundation, whether a vegetable, a entertains the visitors with stories Through the art of cooking, Ms Held
What the courses on offer do protein, or even a taste or spice. about the house’s history, as well as its hopes to introduce her students to a
promise, however, is to “translate the Ms Lane then teaches students how illustrious former owners. wider philosophy for life.
skillsets of French cuisine to creative, to base a dish around that ingredient, For both the school and hotel, the “Roll with it,” she said. “You mess up
intuitive, fun-loving cooking.” using only what is readily available. menu is all about working with the a dish, it’s fine. Eat it, bin it, try again.”
“We could teach you the recipe for an “If you find this one amazing recipe seasons and regional specialities. She reminds students that Julia Child
amazing raspberry pie, said Ms Held, online that you really want to try, but “We won’t serve you tomato soup and herself was beloved for her cheerful-
“but then you go home and your ingre- you’re missing one ingredient, do you grilled cheese in winter,” Ms Lane said. ness and positive personality.
dients taste different, your eggs aren’t buy it online from across the world, or “When a student leaves our class, Although she often made mistakes
the same size, and raspberries aren’t in find a substitute with something that’s they should be able to prepare a de- on screen while cooking, Julia re-
season. What do you do then?” already in your pantry?” licious, home-cooked meal wherever mained unflustered, encouraging her
The principal courses, which cater It is French cooking, she claims, they are in the world. We teach them viewers to accept their mishaps and to
for up to seven people, cost around without necessarily being French food. how to shop, how to improvise and carry on regardless.
€10,000 per person for six nights. Students are mainly from the US, adapt to the season and the location.” That is the most important lesson the
An alternative ‘Cook Camp’, which where Julia Child is still a household The aim, she says, is to make cooking current owners of La Pitchoune aim to
can accommodate up to 19 guests, name, almost 20 years after her death – French or otherwise – more accessi- teach: no pressure, just keep cooking
starts from €3,772 per person. in 2004, at the age of 91. ble and a whole lot less stressful. and enjoy yourself.

UK pensions are about to

get more complicated.
The UK government is introducing new pension allowances for certain lump sums. Under HM Revenue Talk to the people who know
and Customs draft legislation, a £268,275 Lump Sum Allowance could result in you paying more tax in
future than in past years, as the legislation makes no provision to increase the allowance. It is not clear yet 0 805 112 163 (N0 Vert)
how this will impact overseas transfers, but with a start date of April 2024 there is limited time to explore france@blevinsfranks.com
your options before the rules are introduced.
The Lump Sum and Death Benefits Allowance will have a £1,073,100 allowance, with amounts paid to www.blevinsfranks.com
beneficiaries above this being taxed at their marginal rate of income tax, even if death occurs before age 75.
If you have built up higher pension savings, contact us now to learn more about the proposed 2024 changes
and what action you may need to take.

I NTER NAT IONA L TA X A DV ICE • INVESTMENTS • E STATE PL ANNING • PENSIONS

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