MAKING YOUR LIFE

IN FRANCE
LESS TAXING

FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002

connexionfrance.com December 2022/January 2023 Issue 242 €5.80

The blue-eyed Villa speculation sparks Are the prices in

P19

dancer behind second-home protests duty-free shops

Bluebell Girls really that good?
Photo: Teddy Piaz

french living
€500,000 rise in just months
Xxx
P5 Pxx

New EU border checks: Low fees

Comment

plans at standstill in UK dental

‘turning
Transport chiefs and campaign groups fear long waits when exit/entry scheme gets under way
by Liv Rowland
NEW checks are due at the EU’s
external borders in five months but
there is still no information about
what will be done at key UK ports
to avoid long delays for travellers
to France.
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES)
is due to start on May 1 and means
all non-EU nationality visitors must
have a photo and their fingerprints
taken and their passport scanned
on a first trip to the bloc. The data
will be stored for five years.
in airports, but there is no sign of
them being installed at Dover,
London St Pancras or Folkestone,
where there are French checks to
board ferries and trains.
The UK sites are short of space
and there are fears of long delays.
British in Europe (BiE) campaign
group treasurer Chris­ topher
Chantrey said: “I think the launch
of EES will be terrible: more
queues, more congestion, and more
bad feeling among passengers.”
For subsequent trips, passports
will be scanned and the traveller’s
base. Passport stamps will end.
“
EES, which was delayed from
this spring, is not related to
Brexit – it was first planned in
April 2016. It aims to keep
better track of non-EU citizens
limited to 90 in 180-days visits.
It will not apply to foreign res-
idents in the EU with residency
cards and long-stay visas but it is
feared they will be caught up in
queues.
Mr Chantrey asked: “How will
the system distinguish between
people with Withdrawal Agree­
work into
who are? And there is no space for
a lottery’
new installations for all of this. The
Gare du Nord and St Pancras are
absolutely crammed as it is. P15
“They are at peak capacity and
full of people before trains set off.
It will mean The same at Dover.
“The expectation when Eurostar
more queues, was set up, or the port in its current
congestion, form, was the UK would always be
an EU state and not need this.”
and more Etias, a requirement for online
bad feeling pre-travel permission, with a €7 fee,
is then set to launch in late 2023.
among The Connexion contacted the

Photo: WRC III - jeanmiphotographies.ch

Dedicated booths for this are entry to, and exit from, the ment [WA] cards who are not Port of Dover. Its chief executive
being planned in France, especially Schengen area recorded in a data- concerned by this and visitors passengers è Turn to Page 2

More Americans abroad Andrew Birkin on his sister Jane and Serge Gainsbourg
apply to give up citizenship
More and more overseas
Americans are looking to
renounce their US citizenship.
The numbers have risen
steadily over the past 12 years
since the adoption of Fatca, a
US law requiring financial insti-
tutions around the world to
report directly to the American
tax authorities all the assets and
incomes of any US citizens with
$50,000 or more on their books.
The US and Eritrea are the
only countries to base tax on
citizenship, not residency,
meaning the salaries of
Americans living abroad are
subject to US income tax.
INTERVIEW
in 2021 as the Covid pandemic
shut down embassy operations.
The double taxation system,
annual filing and the reluctance
of banks to take them on as Bicultural
rowing
clients are often cited as reasons.
In France, hundreds of
Americans have inquired about
renunciation, US officials told
The Connexion.
The backlog currently stands
champion
at three to four months.
As well as paperwork, the pro- Susannah
Duncan
cess involves being interviewed
and paying a $2,350 fee – up
from zero, then $450 over
several years. Applicants must FRENCH LIVING
have another nationality.
Photo: Andrew Birkin

Some 6,705 Americans were Among the Americans who

reported to have irrevocably have settled in France, many INTERVIEW L 14574 - 242 H - F: 5,80 € - RD
renounced citizenship in 2020,
an all-time high which only fell
have no US-sourced income, FRENCH LIVING
è Turn to Page 8

French enjoy beauty Struggle to take MPs vote on French Rent a home
contests that show out S1 holiday exams for multi-year with option to
‘normal’ women health insurance residency permits buy scheme
THE BACK PAGE P6 P8 P9
P5
 2 News connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022
HIGHLIGHTS
News 1-11
New EU border check: what preparations?
French airports worried about extra waiting time
Post Brexit updates/WA card issues for teenagers 4 è Continued from Page 1
Second home protests over property speculation 5 Doug Bannister said he has “no
Health: osteopaths, HRT and travel insurance issues 6 information” on how the data will PRE-REGISTRATION booths are being tested collected in the booth and for checks of security
Tram project sheds light on Lyon’s history 7 be collected. but are not yet “completely satisfactory”, the pres- databases to be launched. An officer
Ecological burials gain popularity 9 He had, however, heard that for ident of French airports body UAF has said. at a desk will then do final checks. Booths are
New laws and changes 10 cars boarding it could take two Airports must pay for booths and only around expected initially to cater for both English and
Ten years of Louvre satellite museum in old mining city 11 minutes, plus another two min- a dozen large ones will have them, said Nicolas French speakers. “We are lobbying for pre-reg-
Interview: Senator for French people abroad Olivier Cadic 12 utes per passenger so 10 minutes Pau­lis­­sen. Part of the problem will be space. istration online at home but, for now, EU law
A life less ordinary: from sports star to magician 13 for a family of four, compared to “We are worried. We think the start of EES requires a border official to be present.”
the current minute-and-a-half. will increase waiting times. Booths will limit the Seeing an officer will be required, both on
Comment 14-17 “We also heard there could be damage but only moderately,” he said. entry and exit from Schengen, though it is
Simon Heffer/Richard Ogier 14 technology such as an iPad with He said the government has stated that there possible that the ‘Parafe’ automatic gates used
Dental work lottery/Nabila Ramdani 15 handholds to register finger- will not be any extra border police for large air- by EU citizens may later be adapted to
Readers’ letters 16-17 prints, but we have not trialled it. ports to help. However, it is possible that smaller complete EES checks.
“How do you pass it around airports, such as those in south-west France, UAF estimates the time spent on checks at
Practical 18-21 a car? What happens if there is whose border desks are manned by customs border desks in large airports will double in
Your questions 18 a child asleep or if it is a dark, workers, might benefit from extra staffing. 2023, though overall increases in waiting could
Make sense of duty-free shops 19 stormy night and the lighting is Mr Paulissen added that a possible gradual be more. It is hoped processes will speed up after
Language: Consider Netflix and YouTube your tutors 20 inappropriate?” he asked. implementation, with fewer elements collected 2023, once most people are registered.
How to get involved in your child’s education 21 A Eurostar spokesman said: at first, has been discussed in Brussels. It is not planned that additional papers such as
“We have not got anything fur- “It will be complicated, with all the non-EU proof of means for trips will be asked for sys-

24
ther [on preparations] to share visitors making their first [post-EES] entries,” tematically. Short films or explanatory leaflets
Photo: Jeanmi Photographies

at this stage – we continue to
pages work with governments on it.”
French living
‘I studied for my Bac in France,
Getlink (Eurotunnel) also
had no details. Director of
public affairs John Keefe said
and travelled to Britain for rowing’
the firm is “working closely
Serpents need not be the enemy with the French and British
Sparkling wine for savvy consumers governments to prepare.
Ski hotels ‘just like home, but better!’ “We have plans in place to
A tall tale of high kicks in the exotic nightclubs of Paris ensure customers are helped
through the process.”
Asked about preparations and
DIRECTORY 22-28 what funding or equipment is
involved, a Home Office spokes-
Paris visit is ‘memorial trip’ finale 29 man said the EU is introducing
EES and it is EU states’ respon-
Revolution gave France a head for conservation 30 sibility to implement checks.
Bringing feel-good design to poorer city suburbs 31 “We are working closely with
port authorities, operators and
Money / Work/ Property 32-39 the French government to make
sure passengers are prepared
The Back Page 40 and do not experience un-
Miss France alternatives celebrate ‘normal’ necessary delays,” he said. BiE
he said. The aim is for a maximum of data to be
co-chair Jane Golding expects
“teething” problems.
“The sooner we know exactly
what is happening, the better.
“There were issues when the
[Brexit] WA was implemented,
with confusion over the treat-
ment of card-holders. They still
face issues sometimes but now
there will be a general issue too.”
A French Interior Ministry
spokeswoman said French and
UK authorities and operators
will “pay attention” to the issue
of longer waiting for checks.
To speed things up, some bor-
ders in France will be equipped
with pre-registration points to
scan passports and take photo-
graphs and fingerprints to save
time at the desk with an officer.
may be provided on board arriving planes.
It is “possible” these could be
installed at the UK’s French
St Pancras. “It is a worry but
there is no obvious solution as
border points and this is under it cannot be done at distance, to
discussion between the French, avoid fraud. Being an isolated
British and operators, she said. country is going to make things
Justine Wallington, co-chair more complicated for the UK.”
of the Rift support group for In general, however, he
Britons, said she would not like welcomed further strengthen-
to see WA card beneficiaries ing of the Schengen borders
being delayed, as they have to combat terrorism and keep
already been checked for the better track of movements.
biometrics to obtain their cards. Fingerprints are needed to
“Speeding them and others avoid identity fraud, he said.
with cards through any queues “So, yes, there are questions
may ease the work of border on the infrastructure and how it
control, so perhaps we’ll see this will initially work. Changes like
but, personally, I foresee a mess.” this are destabilising. We will be
Senator for the French abroad monitoring how it goes when it
Olivier Cadic, who lives in starts next year.”
Kent, said a lot of infrastruc- For a full interview with
ture was likely to be needed at Olivier Cadic, see Page 12

Contact Us Snow tyre law poses insurance risk Cold brings

fears of new
Subscribe / resubscribe at:
www.connexionfrance.com A new law requiring snow Surveys show
tyres or chains for vehicles in

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Editorial: news@connexionfrance.com accidents if they do not comply.
Insurance comparison site Les-
Write to: The Connexion, furets said: “The obligation to
Le Grande Bretagne, 30 Av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco have snow tyres or chains is now
@ConnexionFrance law and can be used by insurance
firms to refuse to pay out.
The Connexion “For insurers, the requirement
to drive vehicles fitted with the
Contributors: Liv Rowland, Ken Seaton, Simon Heffer, Nick Inman, Thomas Brent,
Samantha David, Brian McCulloch, Justin Postlethwaite, Nabila Ramdani, Emma Morgan,
obligatory equipment applies.”
Théophile Larcher, Gillian Harvey, Martin Greenacre, Nick Jenkins Insurer Leocare gave the same
Sub-editing: Sarah Henshaw Editorial consultant: Bruno Lacombe Design: Lynne Spaight response, comparing this to
drink-driving accidents, where
Directrice de la Publication (Managing Editor): Sarah Smith insurers are also exempt from
Rédacteur-en-Chef (Editor-in-Chief): Sarah Smith paying out.
The Connexion is published by English Language Media Sarl Tyre-sellers report that demand
Registered office: Le Grande Bretagne, 30 av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco for winter tyres has not risen,
Environmental policy: despite the new rule.
The Connexion is printed on recycled newspaper. Surveys show 65% of French
Subscribers to The Connexion receive their copy wrapped in people polled have not heard of
biodegradable eco-friendly film. This is fully compostable at home. the new law and 86% consider
Subscription prices: snow tyres to be too expensive.
Annual: French address: €66, Even snow chains are thought
address outside France: €81.50, 100% Digital: €54 to be too costly and difficult to
Three-month: French address: €18.75, fit by 70% of people surveyed.
address outside France: €22.65, 100% Digital: €15 A pair of good quality snow
Digital subscriptions only available if you subscribe at connexionfrance.com chains costs around €65 and
Encart abonnement sur une diffusion partielle. cheaper ones around €30. The
size has to match the tyres and
Printed by Rotimpres, they are fitted to the driving
Impressions Rotatives, 17181 Aiguaviva (Girona), Espagne
All copyright is reserved to the publisher. Reproduction in whole or part of any wheels, usually the front ones.
text without permission is strictly prohibited. The Connexion cannot accept They weigh around 4kg so it
responsibility for claims of advertisers or their professionalism. is recommended they are taken
Mensuel Depôt légal – a parution.
RCI 10 S 05218 ISSN: 1742 - 6421 CPPAP: 0126 I 85379 out of the car when not needed.
Snow tyres usually cost
that most
drivers polled
feel snow
chains are too
difficult to fit
around €10 more than normal
tyres, eg. €150 each compared
to €140 for Michelins for a C5
Citroën. They have different
tread patterns and the rubber
does not get less flexible below
7C, unlike normal tyres.
Cars fitted with them can drive
faster than with chains but they
wear out quicker than normal
tyres in temperatures above 15C
and so are changed in March in
most parts of France.
Many drivers choose to have
four new wheel rims as well so the
tyres do not have to be removed
every time the seasons change,
nor the wheels re-balanced.
All-season tyres, also allowed
under the new law, do not have
to be changed after winter, but
they usually wear out quicker
and make more noise than
normal tyres. They are slightly
more expensive than winter
tyres. Snow tyres should be
stored in a cool dark place over
summer. Some tyre companies
offer to rent storage space.
Covid wave
Photo: Rades_Shutterstock
COLDER weather and a new
variant have been blamed for
a slowdown in the decline of
Covid cases in France.
Figures on official sites give
an unclear and contradictory
The new law applies to parts of picture, affected by strikes in
48 departments and came into testing labs, but there has been
effect last year. This was due some speculation that a ninth
to be the first winter that €135 wave might be on the way.
fines were levied for non-com- The daily number of new
pliance, but the Ministry of patients admitted (740) is up
Transport has extended the 18% on the previous week,
grace period until at least the according to government data
end of the year. last updated on November 18.
Police can still pull people Meanwhile, Santé publique
over and issue warnings to driv- France shows a 20.7% rise in
ers who do not have appropriate the incidence rate (updated
tyres or snow chains in the ve- on November 17) but a 47.7%
hicle. Snow chains only need to drop in new cases (updated
be fitted when there is slippery November 20), at 14,204.
snow or ice on the road. Santé publique France
Usually signs are put up when epidemiologist Guillaume
conditions require chains to be Spaccaferri said: “We are seeing
fitted, but not always, and fitting a trend towards stabilisation of
them is the driver’s responsibil- viral circulation after several
ity. In some departments it is weeks of decline, and an
obligatory to have the equipment increase in the very young.”
for all roads. Others are only People gathering indoors
applying the law to certain com- is being blamed, along
munes, usually above 1,000m. with Omi­cron variant BQ.1.1,
Signposts should show areas which is gaining ground
where the law applies. You can and is thought to be more trans-
also consult our online map: missible, with reinfection more
tinyurl.com/loimontagne. likely too.
 The Connexion December 2022
Property tax
reform date
set for 2026
MAJOR changes are on the way
for local property tax bills as a
national reform of valeurs loca-
tives cadastrales (VLCs), the
basis used to work out these
taxes, is confirmed for 2026.
VLCs are theoretical rental
values used to establish, for
example, taxe foncière property
owners’ tax rates and waste dis-
posal levies paid by occupants.
Residential VLCs increase
annually with inflation but are
based on the property market
more than 50 years ago, meaning
the real attractiveness of certain
buildings and districts has
changed radically.
Landlords will be asked to
declare the rents they charge in
2023 as a basis for the reform.
It is expected that some bills
will reduce – for example, in
some 1960s/70s blocks that were
seen as luxurious at the time but
are now run-down.
Others will increase – for
example, in the case of some
country properties that have
been renovated into luxurious
homes whereas they were more
basic in 1970.
The government says changes
will be introduced gradually to
lessen the impact.
Group gets new funding Cross-channel mayors
to pursue ‘votes for life’ discuss visas and energy
A GROUP campaigning for
Britons living in the EU is mak-
ing a comeback to fight for
long-term overseas residents to
regain UK voting rights.
British in Europe (BiE), which
had mostly wound down, has
obtained £50,000 from the
Joseph Rown­tree Reform Trust
for a year of advocacy work.
It intends to press the UK to
make good on plans to let mil-
lions of disenfranchised Britons
re-register to vote before the
next general election, which is
expected to be in 2024.
The Elections Act abolished
the 15-year limit on voting for
Britons overseas but secondary
legislation to put practical
details in place has been put off.
BiE also wants the regulations
to include ways for Britons
abroad to register and vote eas-
ily, avoiding recurring prob-
lematic issues such as postal
ballots arriving late.
Co-chair Jane Golding said:
‘High’ risk of electricity strain in January Car parks required to install solar panels
There is a ‘high’ risk of dis-
ruption to electricity supplies in
January, warns the body that
manages the electricity network.
RTE said whether or not there
is a ‘red alert’ via the Ecowatt
service monitoring electricity
consumption “will largely
depend on climate conditions
and the possible occurrence of
Car plate recognition
system replaces ‘slow’
motorway toll barriers
A BUSY 88kms of motorway
has become péage barrier-free
for the first time in France to
avoid traffic slowdown.
Tolls are still due and work via
overhead equipment recording
vehicle numberplates. The time
and date are also recorded but
not the vehicle’s speed.
Payment is then taken by
direct debit for télépéage badge
driver or made in advance or
within three days at aliae.com.
There are also payment termi-
nals at motorway services. Late
payment incurs a fine of €90,
rising to €375 after 60 days.
The change covers 88km of
the A79 from Sazeret (Allier) to
Digoin (Saône-et-Loire) in
central France, a busy east-west
route linking the German, Swiss
and Italian borders to the
Atlantic coast.
The change by APRR, which
manages most of the A79, fol-
lows on from trials by another
management firm Sanef.
Sanef plans to put a system in
place along the 210km A13 from
“We’re going back to our origins.
Many of us have been active on
voting rights for years.
“Our group here in Germany,
which later became British in
Germany, were lobbying on this
before the Brexit referendum.
“Then, those of us who had
been involved in that across
Europe realised a coalition was
needed so we could speak as
one voice on our Withdrawal
Agreement rights.”
She said lobbying to influence
secondary legislation is an
‘opaque’ process, but they
believe they have the right con-
tacts and know-how, built up
over their years of experience.
For updates or to contact BiE,
see britishineurope.org.
If you wish to comment on
the importance of voting to you
or have ideas on how to improve
the voting process from abroad,
please email us via news@
connexionfrance.com. We will
pass the messages on to BiE.
even a moderate cold snap”.
A red alert means there is a
risk of power outages if people
do not take action to reduce
consumption in the short term.
The warning comes as France’s
available nuclear capacity was
lower than predicted this
autumn due to delays to main-
tenance work at nuclear power
connexionfrance.com News 3
Visionary rock
opera is back
Paris and Normandy next year. EU but we would expect drivers
Other toll motorways due to to follow the rules, as most did
introduce this so-called flux during the tests.”
libre system include the A14 She added: “The motorway
(west of Paris), the A69 (open- signage, our website and app will
ing in 2024) between Toulouse provide information in several
and Castres, and the A40 in languages, and our telephone
Haute-Savoie. agents can too. Foreign drivers
A Sanef spokeswoman said: have the same rights and obliga-
“Drivers will no longer have to tions as everyone else and British
stop, which causes congestion drivers will, like others, have the
around péages, especially on the option of paying online.
A13 where there are five big “After a learning phase and
péage barriers and there can be with information provided in
big jams on weekends and holi- advance, users have understood
day periods. the payment methods and the
Photo: Anthony Dorfmann
“There will also be fuel savings payment timing period.”
and fewer Co2 emissions. Some commentators have
“We’ve had around seven mil- raised concerns that motorway
lion cars through the péages in firms will raise their fees to
our trial and more than 90% of cover the cost of the new equip-
drivers have paid up on time, ment but Sanef ’s spokeswoman
so we’re confident it will work.” said this would be minimal. FRANCE’S most famous ‘rock
The firm will have access to Sanef budgeted for a small opera’ opened in 1979 but a
EU numberplate databases to increase in tariffs to help pay new generation of theatre-goers
chase up non-payment. The UK for the installations – 0.22% a is now discovering how topical
is not included in this. year for three years from it still is.
The spokeswoman said: “It’s February this year – but it has Starmania’s story is complex,
true it would be more compli- otherwise identified other ways dark and dramatic, and it is set
cated since the UK is not in the to fund the work. in a dystopian future.
It combines themes of politics,
activism, terrorism, and several
doomed love stories, as well as
globalisation, obsession with
television celebrity, and sexual
and gender ambiguity.
The show is a household name cuts in versions between the
in France and some six million 1980s and 2001.
MORE than 100 UK and French them to stop or slow down in people here and abroad have One change hailed as espe-
local mayors and other council- pedestrian areas. seen it. cially relevant today is the rein-
lors met up in Nancy to discuss The other big topic was how Its creator, popular composer troduction of a green activist
working together to save energy to have good UK-French links Michel Berger, who died of a character le Gourou Marabout.
and improve youth mobility. despite Brexit and new visa heart attack aged 44, in 1992, Berger’s son Raphaël Hambur­
“There was a warm, friendly formalities. The mayors drafted insisted on the term opéra rock, ger has produced the new ver-
atmosphere,” said Antoine le a declaration to the French and saying it was not a comédie music- sion, directed by Thomas Jolly,
Solleuz, Nancy’s deputy mayor UK governments. ale. In English, both can be the organiser of the opening cer-
for international partnerships. Its points included asking for referred to as a musical, but a emony for Paris 2024 Olympics.
One theme was environmental simple, free visas for students, ‘rock opera’ is specifically a per- Luc Plamondon, the original
policy. For example, Houn­slow young workers and apprentices, formance with no spoken text. writer, was also involved.
and Issy-les-Moulineaux dis- and a return to home fee status Certainly no ‘comedy’ – most According to Mr Hamburger,
cussed work they are doing to for French students in UK uni- of the main characters die – the aim was to give the show
improve energy consumption versities. UK ‘international’ fees much of Starmania’s enduring back “all its tragic profundity”.
in municipal facilities, using can be more than £20,000 a fame is down to good songs. Mr Jolly said they were “guided
sensors to monitor tempera- year, compared to a few hundred Its hit songs include SOS d’un by the will to shine a spotlight on
tures and changes in light to euros in France. terrien en détresse, Le Blues du everything Star­mania has to say
adapt lighting and heating. They also called for a com- Businessman and Le Monde est about our society”.
Nancy gave news about a local mon Franco-British fund to be Stone. The latter is called The He said they had updated the
firm, Eclatec, which is special- set up, with state and private World is Stone in the show’s text, which was “visionary and
ised in this, and both British sponsor funding, to be used for English translation, and was a still very relevant today”.
and French councillors projects such as educational hit for Céline Dion, who They also reordered songs to
expressed interest in visiting it. and cultural exchanges. reprised several songs from it. improve the clarity of the story.
Nancy, which recently pedes- If nothing is done, a generation The new show is the first Starmania is in Paris’s La
trianised its town centre, was will grow up distanced from the major French production this Seine Musicale until the end of
also interested to hear how New­ UK, Mr le Solleuz said. century and aims to return January and then tours major
castle fits its electric scooters A longer version of this article can be more closely to the original hit cities in France, as well as
with GPS systems that force found on our website. Search‘Nancy’ after various adaptations and Brussels and Geneva.
stations, partly caused by strike All large car parks will be required to have at
action. This was resolved at the least half their surface area covered by solar panels
end of October. under a new measure approved by the senate.
RTE has also said there is less The bill was due to apply to car parks of more than
Photo: Shutterstock_Fotos593
risk of shortages in December 2,500m², but was changed to cover those with at least
and from the end of February 80 parking spaces, which should be wider-reaching.
than had previously been feared. The policy will take effect in July, and car park
You can keep up to date with owners will have between three and five years to
alerts via the EcoWatt app or at install solar panels to shelter half their spaces,
monecowatt.fr. depending on the size of the plot, or face heavy fines.
 Brexit:
4 News
Moving On connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022

18-year-olds: UK families Guide dog-owners hit

by Brexit travel rules
fight to get residency cards
FAMILIES have told us of their to provide supporting docu-
BLIND people using guide dogs
are lobbying for easier post-
Brexit procedures for entering
the EU from the UK.
“Before Brexit, we could come
in freely. Since then, they’ve cast
us out like a Third World coun-
try with raging animal disease.
struggle to obtain Brexit ments as proof. Guide dog-owners are treated “The certificate takes several
Withdrawal Agreement (WA) She added the ministry would the same as pet-owners: UK hours to prepare and can cost up
cards for teenagers turning 18. contact the prefecture about the residents now need an ‘animal to £250. You can only apply 10
Two mothers who hold lack of information on its site for health certificate’ (AHC) from days before you leave.
WA permanent residency cards remaining ‘article 50’ applicants. their vet, costing £100 or more, “When a friend in Paris died,
got in contact about the prefec- These also include foreign- for each trip to the EU. with the funeral a week later,
ture of Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, resident close family members The UK was not allowed there was no way I could get the
after our report in November joining a WA Briton in France. post-Brexit to continue to issue certificate in time.

Photo: Emma Summerfield

about the problems some young
Britons have been experiencing
with residency rights.
That part of France has for
years had high demand for
foreign people’s cards.
Nationally, in 2021, Britons’
WA cards represented almost
a third of cards issued in
France, significantly increasing
prefectures’ workloads, on top of
issues related to homeworking
and health restrictions during
the pandemic.
However, the situation is not
helped by the fact that the
foreigners’ section of the Nice
prefecture’s website contains no
information about procedures
for those needing WA cards.
It offers no contact option
apart from online messages, no
in-person visits and no system
for booking an appointment to
discuss residency cards.
Nurse Emma Sum­merfield, 50,
has two children who were 18
Emma Summerfield and her children
not. Ms Summerfield said she
received a query from the pre-
fecture in summer 2021 about
one of her children, suggesting a
DCEM (proof of residency for a
young person, to show on entry
to France) would be appropriate.
She replied, explaining that her
children wanted residency cards.
“I said we didn’t want a DCEM.
My children were entitled to
cards and wanted them for
travel – in times of Covid it was
necessary – and they might
want to work or do a course.
“Since then, I’ve received no
correspondence.
“I’ve sent registered post,
emails asking for a meeting, and
have had nothing back.
A planned roll-out deadline of
online procedures for all resi-
dency card applications by the
end of 2022 has been put back.
Procedures that are fully online
so far for first applications, as
well as renewals on expiry,
but said she has not received an include students’ and visitors’
answer to this nor to emails sent. (for retirees) cards and passeport
Finally, after he turned 18, she talent cards for highly-qualified
was sent information about how workers, plus (for all types)
to obtain an appointment but he renewal of cards due to a change
ended up being issued a vie of address or loss. It is hoped the
privée et familiale card, suitable rest will go online next year.
for a young person from an
ordinary non-EU foreign family. n As we reported recently, Rift
She was able, with support has flagged up confusion at
from the UK consulate, to have some French border points as to
it swapped for a WA card but is whether or not young Britons
now fighting for a refund of the living in France need a DCEM.
€225 she was charged for the The Interior Ministry has clar-
first card. WA cards are free. ified to us that they are not
“We’re British, he’s British and obliged to have a DCEM to
my queries were sent via the return to France after a trip
contact form ‘Brexit’ option so abroad, as all British people can
why did they give a card that freely come to France for visits
wasn’t Brexit-related?” she said. of up to 90 days in any 180-day
EU-recognised ‘pet passports’.
This possibility exists for non-
EU states and the UK asked for
it, but EU Commission sources
said the UK does not qualify as it
is for countries which apply EU
animal health rules. Such ‘Part-
one listed’ states at present
include only the EEA countries
(Norway, Ice­land...), Switzerland
and microstates such as Monaco.
David Adams, honorary pres-
ident of the European Guide
David
“Then it only lasts one trip
once you’ve returned. I used to
sometimes do three trips a
month, now that’s impossible.”
Mr Adams thinks a waiver
from the AHC requirement
should be offered to UK-based
blind people with dogs.
“We’ve written 190 letters to
MEPs. An Italian one is raising
a question in the parliament.
“Former Brexit negotiator
Lord Frost told me he will write
to the UK mission in Brussels to
raise it and try to get it put on
the front burner,” he said.
“We’ve almost given up lobby-
ing in the UK, because by the
time a minister looks at it, they
change portfolio again. I tried to
raise it as a disability and equal-
ities issue, but the ministers in
charge of those pass it on to
Defra [in charge of animal
health] who don’t understand
the discrimination aspect of it.”
EU sources said rules allow

Photo: David Adams

this year and one who was 17.
She applied for them via the
online portal that was open last
year, having understood it was
possible from age 16. Her chil-
dren study in the UK but main-
tain their main home with her.
No French residency cards are
required before age 18, although
applications from 16 are
possible if a card is needed for
practical reasons, such as work.
In the case of WA cards, young
people are required to apply after
turning 18 and before age 19.
They should receive a five or
10-year card, depending (with
minor exceptions) on whether
they have been a resident in
France for at least five years or
“It’s getting beyond a joke.
They all want to work in the
holidays next year and won’t be
able to until they have the card.”
She is now seeking help from
Rift (remaininfrance.fr), the
support group for Britons, as is
Sarah Melitz, another long-term
resident of the Alpes-Maritimes.
She applied for her son when
he was 17, having previously
obtained a DCEM for him.
She said the prefecture told
her that only adults can qualify.
In the meantime, her son has
started French university stud-
ies and she said the university
“luckily” accepted his DCEM
for that. She wrote asking the
prefecture to make an exception,
Adams
She added that her son, while period. Having a DCEM, how- with states to apply certain ‘flexibil-
waiting for the first card, had ever, will avoid a young WA his dog ities’ in the case of assistance
not been able to receive his family member having their Jimbo dogs due to article 32 of a regu-
French driving licence after passport stamped when they lation (tinyurl.com/DogsReg)
passing his test due to not hav- leave France, potentially causing Dog Federation (EGDF), who about pet movement. They
ing a residency card. issues when they return. lives in the UK, said they con- could, if they wanted, allow
In light of these reports, we A DCEM is free to Brexit WA sider this discriminatory to special permits, the source said.
advise when making contact agreement people (tinyurl.com/ blind people who are obliged to However, the article refers to
with your prefecture that you Free-DCEM). There is a €50 fee travel with their dogs. allowing pets in without the
stress you are applying for un for other cases. Young people They consider the UK “very usual formalities in ‘exceptional
titre de séjour article 50 TUE/ taking part in school trips do biosecure”. Guide dogs, unlike circumstances’ in one-off cases,
accord de retrait du RU de l’UE. not require a DCEM (tinyurl. pets, are always on a lead and where a permit has been applied
We also suggest waiting until com/DCEM-trip). not likely to run around on for beforehand and granted, and
the person is 18 or, if you apply The ministry said any young their own, he said. with the animal being kept in
earlier, stressing the reason. non-EU national travelling away “In the UK, we have no prob- isolation for a period on arrival.
An Interior Ministry spokes- from France should be accom- lems with rabies, ticks or worms, It seems unlikely to meet what
woman said, legally, this is panied by one of their parents, etc, so we make sure they are the guide dog-owners are asking
allowed where a young person unless they have an autorisation protected [against rabies and for. We are not aware of any pro-
wants to work, and it is enough de sortie du territoire signed by tapeworms] when we bring cess for special permits to be
to state this. It is not necessary them (tinyurl.com/AST-info). them back from the continent. issued by France.

Solution for website bug to EU citizenship

 
 
 

case relaunched
 



apply for French work permit

 




POSITIVE news is reported by the cam-


    

   

SIRET 48003796900015
   paign group EU Britizens on its continu-
    OFFICIALS have passed on a tip for people the would-be worker recently, the website ing fight over Britons’ loss of EU citizen-
having problems applying online for a work said an error occurred during the approval. ship rights. The association’s president,
  permit for a non-EU foreign worker to come An Interior Ministry spokeswoman said former UK civil servant Alice Bouilliez,

 to France (tinyurl.com/WkPermit). this is an anomaly that they had aimed to who is represented by French lawyers
A Briton running a bar-restaurant in rectify but which is cropping up again. working pro bono, argues that the effects
   Val d’Isère, Savoie, highlighted the problem, The solution is to put in the request using a of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and
  saying she had been struggling for weeks to different email address you have never used loss of EU citizenship cause dispropor-
complete an application for a third permit, to apply for autorisation de travail. tionate harm to British citizens.
   having done so successfully earlier in the year Obtaining this is the first step for a French She had taken a case to her local court

for two other workers from the UK.
Alice Milne, who runs Le Petit Danois with
her Danish husband, said the procedure
went smoothly in September when the
permits came through in two weeks.
That compared to two months in winter
2021-22, when there were also long delays
for the applicants to subsequently obtain
visas from the French consulate in the UK.
www.skyinfrance.co.uk This year, that was “not a problem at all”.
However, each time she entered details of
firm to employ a non-EU worker. The
employer must swear on their honour that
they tried to recruit locally by advertising for
three weeks with Pôle Emploi but have not
found someone meeting the requirements.
Ms Milne said: “I need people with bar
experience and English and French. Our
clients are mostly British and Scandi­navian,
so a very high level of English is essential.
“It is also the working language for the other
members of staff among themselves.”
at Auch, Gers, relating to loss of local
voting rights, and it was referred to the
European Court of Justice (ECJ) on
Britons’ EU citizenship. The ECJ gave a
negative ruling earlier this year but she
has obtained a new referral from Auch
on the point of loss of EU election votes.
She hopes that the ECJ’s attitudes may
have changed since the war in Ukraine.
See eubritizens.eu for more informa-
tion or to donate to legal expenses.
 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com News 5
News in brief
Bad year for olives House ‘flipped’ for €500,000 profit
sparks new second home protests
High temperatures and long
periods of drought earlier in the
year have resulted in a disap-
pointing olive harvest, which
also began earlier than usual
this year. Protests against second proceeds among family mem- their favour – not only do they
Several producers in Var, homes in the Basque country’s bers is very strong, even if the get higher rents, but they pay
Alpes-Maritimes and Vaucluse coastal towns reignited when children do not want to move less proportionally in taxes with
have reported a drop in produc- property speculators tried to away from where they grew up.” seasonal rentals than with long-
tion of 50% or more, which ‘flip’ a villa for a €500,000 Effects of the price and second- term rentals.”
could have a knock-on effect on profit after only a few months. home boom extend beyond Guéthary and other com-
olive and olive oil prices. No renovation work had questions of village life, she munes are working with law-
been done. added, with industries installed makers to find a way to dis-
‘Lynx crossing’ signs

Photo: Shutterstock_lone wolf7

France’s Basque coastline, from along the Basque coast having courage more houses being

“
Anglet to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, turned into second homes.
is a series of communes joined “It is a difficult question, but
in a conurbation of different someone must find a solution,”
town and village centres and Ms Burre-Cassou said.
suburbs linked with each other. “It will probably be through
All year, locals have held pro- taxation, maybe through a
tests against the price of hous-
Locals in Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle were angered after a house
was flipped for a significant profit, as locals are priced out
Prices are far out special second-home clause in
ing, driven by the market for capital gains tax, or an extra
of the reach of most
Photo: Centre Athénas

second homes, which they say withdrawn from the estate between a holiday village used notaire fee when a house is
means communes are being
emptied of residents and have
agent’s listing.
The mayor of nearby Guéthary,
two months of the year and an
old-age home because all the
people who want to bought as a second home.
“I am sure that once the num-
life in them only during the Marie-Pierre Burre-Cassou, told young working people cannot live and work here ber of second homes stabilises
summer holiday season. The Connexion her town faced afford to live here.” or falls, property prices will
A wildlife centre in Jura has The house that sparked new similar challenges. Guéthary has always had a Marie-Pierre fall too.”
produced road signs warning protests is a medium-sized, “In Guéthary, we now have number of second homes but in Burre-Cassou, She also pointed out that,
motorists to slow down to avoid detached bungalow in the 50% of our houses used as the last 10 years the proportion Mayor of Guéthary although the problem was par-
collisions with lynx, of which a village of Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle second homes, and prices are has increased significantly – ticularly acute along the Basque
small number are found in east- in the hills above Saint-Jean- far out of the reach of most along with prices. difficulties finding workers coast, it was also spreading to
ern France. de-Luz, with a view over the people who want to live and “It is good news for property because of the cost of housing. other areas all along the Atlantic
At least 16 lynx have been hit Pyrenees mountains. work here year-round,” she said. owners but not for their child- Adding to the pressure has coast and to some areas near
by cars – 10% of the species’ It sold for €730,000 at the start “We have a very attractive ren and grandchildren,” said been the practice of some land- Paris and other large cities.
population in France, according of the year, and five months village, both in its natural set- Ms Burre-Cassou. lords who have stopped long- Attempts by the commune to
to the Centre Athénas. later was put back on the mar- ting and because people have “With the price of property so term renting in favour of encourage low-rent houses and
Eight towns have so far agreed ket for €1.3million, without any worked for years to make it a high, when it comes to ques- Airbnb-style short-term rentals. flats to be built have failed,
to display the signs. renovation being carried out. nice place to live, but it risks tions of inheritance, the pres- “At the moment, they actually because of the high cost of
In the face of the outcry, it was being turned into a cross sure to sell and divide the have the tax system working in obtaining suitable sites.
Simulating old age
Carers are now able to under-
stand how old age feels, thanks
to a body suit which simulates
Paris metro and tram seats
vision and hearing difficulties
and reduced mobility.
The Domitys group has pro-
transformed into slippers
vided each of its French retire-
ment homes with the equip-
ment, which includes weights,
headphones and ski goggles.
The goal is to help carers
better comprehend their
patients’ struggles when going
about daily tasks.
Photo: Sans les plumes

Fall in Paris Airbnbs

The number of holiday lets
advertised in Paris has fallen to
43,000, from 50,000 in 2020.
Local authorities have
attempted to crack down on the
proliferation of flats being rent-
ed out on Airbnb. Since 2017,
these must be declared at city
hall and receive a registration
number to display on any ads.
1bn trees in 10 years
A range of limited edition
slippers made from fabric used
for Paris public transportation
seats is now available online.
French brand Sans les plumes
is owned by Techno Logistique,
responsible for renovating Paris
metro and tram seats, and uses
the leftover fabric.
seats found on the different
metro and tram lines. It is
claimed multicoloured seats
discourage graffiti.
The slippers are currently on
offer for €69.90 while stocks last.
The company also sells velvet
slippers made from materials
from French theatre and opera

Here to listen
President Macron has The ‘upcycled’ slippers are hall seats. Sans les plumes was
promised to replant a billion available in three distinct pat- born in 2020 during the pan-
trees by 2032, covering 10% of terns: Ligne 2, Ligne 3, and demic, when its parent compa-
France’s forests, to offset the Ligne 9, corresponding to the ny began producing masks.
effects of wildfires.

New low-cost train lines

Critics have pointed out this is
little more than the 85 million
trees currently planted per year.
WW2 footage found
A new video showing the
liberation of Paris in 1944 has
been released by national
archives service INA.
The amateur footage was dis-
covered in 2020, and shows
Parisians in the street, preparing
for the victory parade down the
Champs-Élysées on August 26.
Watch at tinyurl.com/inavideo.
We are Cancer Support France, supporting English-speaking
people in France who are touched by cancer.
NEW DESTINATIONS have been added to France’s low-cost,
high-speed Ouigo rail network.
We offer free, confidential support for English-speaking people throughout France
touched in any way by cancer. Our highly trained volunteers offer emotional,
The Paris-Quimper line, trialled during previous summers, will
language and practical help. CSF trained volunteers can guide you towards the
become permanent from December 11, and is joined by a Paris-
Brest line stopping at Saint-Brieuc, Guingamp and Morlaix. information you need.
There will also be Ouigo trains linking Paris to La Rochelle, via
Poitiers, Niort and Surgères, from December 16. These will only To find out more about our support, please contact us.
run Friday to Sunday, but every day during the summer.
From March, the Paris-Montpellier route will be extended to Email: helpline@cancersupportfrance.org
Perpignan, including stops at Sète, Agde, Béziers and Narbonne. Call: 0800 240 200 Web: www.cancersupportfrance.org
For a third consecutive winter, there will be Ouigo trains between
Paris and the Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Savoie) skiing destination.

CSF Press Advert Female 129x170.indd 1 06/05/2022 14:06

 6 Healthcare connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022

Treatment is safe, say osteopaths after stroke claims

Osteopaths have defended – there are no degrees because Kinétherapists must have a UK and some other countries.
their profession after doctors the courses are not run by the degree and be registered with Such a body would be able to act
claimed some patients whose state – the osteopaths have to be the ARS. Around 31% of osteo- quickly against people who
necks had been manipulated registered with a local agence paths are also practising claim to be osteopaths but who
later suffered strokes. régionale de santé (ARS) and kinétherapists. do not have diplomas or regis-

Photo: Shutterstock_Albina Gavrilovic

Doc Amine, who was called
out by SOS Médecins, said he
had a patient who suffered dam-
age to the artery which supplies
oxygen to the brain, causing a
stroke, shortly after an osteo-
path manipulated her neck.
“Osteopathy has no scientific
proof behind it, unlike kinesi-
therapy,” he wrote on Twitter.
Several doctors came out in
support of his claims.
It is the latest of many critic-
isms aimed at osteopaths from
medical professionals and
comes as figures show there are
35 million osteopath consult-
ations in France a year, mean-
ing nearly half the population
has had treatment. Some have
more than one visit in a year.
There were 36,861 registered
osteopaths in December 2021.
Christophe Couturaud, presi-
dent of the Registre des
Ostéopathes de France trade
body, told The Connexion:
“Medicine in France is very
have a health professional num-
ber from the ARS to practise.
Consultations are not reim-
bursed by the state, although
most mutuelle health insurance
plans pay part of the fee for
some sessions a year.
Most people who see an osteo-
Osteopathy is a popular form of alternative medicine in France path in France do so because
narrowly focused on the doctor tors, such as infusing cortisone they have back pain.
and hospital model, and nearly into joints, where the risk of Medical doctors are forbidden
all the state’s resources are things going wrong is one in from prescribing osteopathy
poured into that. 10,000 procedures.” treatment in France – but doc-
“It is not surprising that some Osteopaths were recognised in tors are not banned from being
doctors make ignorant and France only in 2002, and it took osteopaths themselves. Around
badly informed statements like until 2014 for all the decrees 5% of the 35,000 practising
the ones we have heard.” associated with the law which osteopaths operate both as doc-
Mr Couturaud said that in the set out who can call themselves tors in the state health service
cases that provoked the tweets, an osteopath and what training and as osteopaths outside it.
no link could be established they need to be published. Kinesitherapy in France, by
between strokes suffered by The rules require five years of contrast, cannot be practised
patients and their treatment. training at one of 31 state- without a doctor’s prescription.
“Osteopathic treatment can approved institutions. The kiné profession grew out
go wrong – the figures show No government grants are of ‘medical gymnastics’ devel-
people can be hurt in one in a given to people training to be oped after World War One to
million cases. This compares, osteopaths and courses cost help treat wounded soldiers,
though, with widely practised around €9,000 a year. and has similarities with the
medical acts carried out by doc- After receiving their diplomas physiotherapy used in Britain.
“In general, the difference is
that a kiné will have a prescrip-
tion from a doctor or surgeon
to treat a shoulder after an
operation, for example, and will
treat the shoulder, while an
osteopath will not have a pre-
scription from a doctor and as
well as knowing how to treat
bone and joint problems, will
have a global view of the
patient’s health.
“The principle of osteopathy
is to find the problem, remove
the obstacle, and let nature
carry out the cure. People
sometimes come to us with
problems which need modern
medical help, with some infec-
tions for example, and we send
them to doctors to be treated.”
Mr Couturaud said more
needs to be done to profession-
alise osteopathy in France, in
particular the creation of a
supervising body with the
power to sanction people for
malpractice, as is found in the
tration. Two or three cases a year
are reported to the Registre des
Ostéopathes de France, which
then has to go to prosecutors for
legal action to be taken.
As well as kinés and osteo-
paths, rural areas in France
have a tradition of rabatteurs,
similar to the bonesetters who
used to be found in the English
countryside. They manipulate
the joints and bones of both
people and animals but do not
have any formal training and
operate entirely outside the law.
That are also the magnetisers
– similar to faith healers – who
are sometimes found in the
countryside.
n Online appointment platform
Doctolib recently confirmed
that it will remove more than
5,700 ‘unconventional’ medical
practitioners from its site,
including ‘wellbeing’ specialists,
such as naturopaths, sophr-
ologists and hypnotherapists.

‘Asking my GP for HRT made me feel Retirees struggle to get

like a stroppy child demanding sweets’ travel health insurance A British reader living in
France reports difficulties find-
While the NHS is ‘free’ for UK
residents or people with an
Research has found the number of women that I wanted to have HRT. The ing travel health insurance after EU-country Ehic, this is not the
doctor read my information, reaching UK state pension age. case for UK state pensioners
taking hormone replacement therapy (traite- did a basic physical review, Pensioners from the UK – or who have moved abroad
ment hormonal substitutif) in France is around prescribed some blood work, an EU state – are covered by post-Brexit and have a Ghic, the
500,000 – a drop of 80% over 20 years. then happily gave me a pre- their home country for health- new British Ehic equivalent.
scription for HRT patches. care in France under an S1 form Care in the UK, therefore,
Media speculation claims the slump is due to “I have not had a hot flush and claim an Ehic holiday cover potentially falls into this gap for
studies linking the treatment to breast cancer. since then and there has been a card from there, not France. some Britons living in France
huge improvement in my quality The reader, from Corsica, although this would not con-
Anecdotally, however, some women say they of life.” said problems arose when she cern primary care, such as a GP
have struggled to get a prescription due to a Carine Harding, 51, from planned a walking holiday in the visit, which is free for all.
reluctance to prescribe. Gillian Harvey speaks to Gironde, had more of a fight on Czech Republic and was worried UK pensioners covered by the
her hands, however, when she in case accidents were not fully Withdrawal Agreement are still
an expert and hears real-life experiences presented with peri-menopausal covered by the Ehic system. entitled to UK Ehics and can
symptoms in 2021. Her ‘top-up’ mutuelle could access the NHS free of charge.
“When I was 50, I had prob- not help as it only tops up reim- Our reader has an Ehic and it
In recent years, celebrities therefore, be due to women lems with my joints. bursements from France. is unclear if her issue is linked
such as Michelle Obama and managing their symptoms in “At the time, the doctor French insurers would not give to Brexit – for example, wheth-
UK television presenters Davina other ways, rather than because prescribed physiotherapy. her travel insurance with a health er French and/or British insur-
McCall and Mariella Frostrup of fear or reluctance. “Then I read a book on meno- element due to her having a UK ers would have been more flex-
have made talk of the meno- Certainly, Dr Danielle Hassoun, Carine Harding was eventually pause by Dr Louise Newson Ehic – and British firms would ible before 2021.
pause and its symptoms more a gynaecologist from Paris, prescribed HRT by her doctor, and found that joint pain not insure a resident of France. Another reader reported that
mainstream. feels there is no particular but not before having to argue can be a symptom of peri or “It turned out to be impossible her husband has the same issue,
While studies have confirmed problem when it comes to her case strongly first menopause. for me to get health insurance being unable to find travel
that some hormone replace- women accessing HRT in “I went to a GP who special- [other than the Ehic]. I spent health insurance as a UK Ehic-
ment therapy (HRT) medica- France, and headlines citing date have shown that herbal ised in gynaecological issues two days trying but had to stop.” holder who, while ‘fit’, has some
tions do raise the risk of breast anxiety about using the treat- treatments are not effective,” who told me I was not meno- Luckily, her holiday passed ongoing health difficulties.
cancer, they also suggest this ment are overblown. she said. pausal as I was still having without any illness or accidents. Other readers on social media
risk remains low. “Women know that there are “If someone is having prob- periods. However, she did some Whether travellers face some said premium French bank
HRT is also now thought to risks, for the breast in particu- lems with menopausal symp- blood work and in the end costs not covered by an Ehic cards, such as Crédit Agricole
have a protective effect against lar, even if these risks are low,” toms, they should take the hor- reluctantly agreed to offer depends on the health system of gold cards, can help.
diseases relating to the ageing she explained. monal treatment unless there is HRT, but only for five years. the country they are visiting They also recommended Stay-
process, such as osteoporosis “Menopause is not a disease a medical reason not to do so.” “I felt a bit like a stroppy child and whether they use services sure, a Spanish insurance offer
and even Alzheimer’s. and the majority of women Michelle, 55, from Puy-de- demanding sweets! excluded from the Ehic scheme, aimed at UK expatriates, and
However, while HRT is a life- experience menopause without Dôme in the centre of France, “However, I have been on such as private healthcare, Cyprus-based Globelink, which
line for many women, it is bothersome symptoms and had heard that HRT was HRT now for six months and mountain rescue or repatria- offers travel insurance to clients
important to remember that therefore do not need hormone difficult to come by in France, although it has not cured my tion after accidents or death. across Europe.
not all women suffer the same treatment. so when she went to her doctor symptoms, it has certainly
symptoms of menopause.
The British Menopause Society
“Those who need treatment
are those who have a lot of hot
to ask for it she was prepared to
put up a fight.
relieved them greatly.
“Here, among my French Antibiotics on the rise again
recommends that “whilst HRT flushes and whose quality of life “I had heard some difficult friends, nobody seems to be Public health authorities have warned that France consumes
can play an important role … is impaired.” tales, so made sure I had writ- talking about HRT. too many antibiotics. Prescriptions rose in 2021 to 700 per 1,000
changes in lifestyle and diet can As for the herbal treatments ten my symptoms (difficulty “But my English friends do inhabitants, after falling as a result of social distancing.
all help in alleviating menopau- favoured by some women, sleeping, hot flushes, frequent discuss it. Santé Publique France (SPF) said common winter viruses rarely
sal symptoms, and improve Dr Hassoun does not believe headaches and irritability) and “I think there is still a lot of justify antibiotics, as the treatment can become ineffective with
later health”. they are a suitable alternative if other medical history in French, misunderstanding around the frequent use. An increase in antibiotic use among children under
Low uptake of HRT might, HRT is required. “Studies to and simply stated in writing menopause.” four was particularly highlighted by SPF.
 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com News 7
Rescued tram sheds light on city’s history Children less stressed
The restoration effort is
now in its second decade
after ‘driving’ to ops
and, inset, the tram as it
was found in 2011

Children are ‘driving’ their

Photo: CH Valenciennes
way to hospital operations in
mini electric cars rather than
being taken on stretcher trolleys

Photo: Athaly / Inset: JC Thoos

– feeling less stress and needing
less pre-surgery sedation.
The idea began at the Centre The cars are in fact controlled
Hospitalier de Valenciennes in remotely by hospital staff

A group of transport enthusiasts are working
to restore one of their city’s first trams.
The Lyon tram, with first and second-class
carriages, was found in a sad state at the back of
a railway shed when the building was sold.
Xavier Vuillermoz was able to find it a better
home, with help from his employer, transport
firm Keolis-Lyon, and a local association Athaly
has taken on the task of restoring it.
“We started in 2011 and thought it would take
a couple of years,” said Mr Vuillermoz. “In 2022,
we are still at it, and have a long way to go!”
The main bodywork of the tram has been
repaired and repainted.
The second-class cabin, with wooden seats, has
also been restored, except for the wood-panelled
Photo: Athaly
the Nord in 2017 when hospital study hoping to prove the cars’
The tram in its 1930s heyday staff bought two vehicles with scientific benefits.
their own money. “Concentrating on an activity
was built by US firm Brill and shipped to Lyon Xavier Vuillermoz at “The aim is to remove anxiety allows us to manage our anxiety.
in 1898. Along with six other trams of the same work on an old train through the principle of hypno- When the children play, they
make, it worked in the city until 1935. sis,” said Dr Nabil Elbeki, head forget they are in the hospital
During that time it was lengthened and had of A&E, intensive care and and they don’t cry.”
new motors installed. anaesthesiology in Valenciennes. This has reduced the need to
The other Brill trams had been destroyed by Footballers at local club VAFC sedate patients before surgery,
1940, but 439 was kept as a shunting machine later paid for a third car and meaning they wake up more
in the depot. “Our original idea was to have the subsequent media attention quickly from anaesthetic after-
tram run on the streets of Lyon again, but it is led to other sports clubs, entre- wards, allowing for greater
the wrong size for the tracks we now have, so it preneurs, car manufacturers patient turnover, Dr Elbeki said.
will have to stay as a display,” said Mr Vuillermoz. and more donating cars. Parents are also less worried
“It is an important part of our heritage. Having The hospital now has at least and less likely to enter into
electric trams was a huge step at the time and 10 cars and has given more away conflict with hospital staff.
gave people mobility in the city, which they did to other hospitals as the idea The association Dauphin &
not have before.” spread across France and beyond. Handicap has been inspired by
The association is also restoring a small, cog- “Our most beautiful donation the idea. It has distributed

Photo: Xavier Vuillermoz

roof, which is currently being worked on.
Padded seats for the first-class cabin have been
prepared and are ready to be installed.
Six or seven enthusiasts gather at least once a
month to work on the tram, number 439, which
wheel electric locomotive, once used to take was when a child with leuk- around 400 cars, costing up to
people up Lyon’s steep hills. aemia passed away, and his €400 each, to public and private
They hope to have it declared a historic mother gave us his personal car.” hospitals through its Hopilote
monument, which will open the way for grants The staff are trained in medical programme, mostly financed by
and donor tax breaks. hypnosis and are undertaking a firms in the health sector.

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 8 News
Festivals at
risk during
Paris Games
Festival organisers and local
politicians have spoken of their
concerns after it was revealed
that cultural and sporting
events could be “cancelled
or delayed” during the 2024
Paris Olympics.
connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022
Vote on residency card French exam
A COMPULSORY language Farming union welcomes immigration proposals
test is planned for anyone
applying for a multi-year resi-
dency permit, the interior min-
THE LARGEST farmers’ union
has backed plans to create a
100,000 shortages in the farm-
ing industry, mostly seasonal
specific residency permit for workers, according to Mr Volle.
ister has confirmed.
workers in industries suffering “We would like the titres de
The plan will be part of an
from labour shortages. séjour to be linked to an
immigration bill – the 29th in
Jérôme Volle, president of the employer, to avoid cards being
the last 20 years – to be debated
FNSEA’s jobs committee, said: given to a person who then
in parliament in the new year.
“We think it is a good idea to leaves the company,” he said,
Gérald Darmanin said in a
simplify the paperwork, while adding the policy would be one
joint interview for Le Monde
still controlling immigration.” potential solution to shortages,

Photo: Shutterstock_Leitenberger Photography

Interior Minister Gérald
Darmanin, questioned by the
senate, said the Olympics would
require the presence of 30,000
police officers and gendarmes,
to the detriment of other events
usually held between July 26
and August 11.
Paul Molac, an MP from
Brittany, home to events such
as Les Vieilles Charrues music
festival, said: “The organisation
of the Paris Olympics cannot
come at the expense of our
regions’ cultural vitality.
“Such constraints could have
long-lasting effects on the dura-
bility of certain events.”
The culture minister met
representatives of the largest
festivals, including Les Vieilles
Charrues, in November to
discuss potential solutions.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte
d’Azur region has already prom-
ised organisers and towns
€2million towards security costs
to help events go ahead.
with labour minister Olivier
If the permits are approved as in addition to strategies such as
Dussopt: “We want to make part of the immigration bill, encouraging apprenticeships.
multi-year titres de séjour con- they will be aimed at immi- He said the industry had
ditional on passing a French grants who are already working always relied on foreign labour.
language test. illegally in industries that are A revised list of around 30
“A quarter of foreigners with struggling to fill positions. sectors with shortages, differing
titres de séjour speak and under- These include construction, by region, is due to be pub-
stand French very poorly.” restaurants, and potentially lished in the new year following
Mr Darmanin raised the poss- France is facing a shortage of seasonal farm workers agriculture. There are 80,000 to industry consultations.
ibility of compulsory French
exams earlier in the year, but large majority are retired.” take lessons while in France. next level up, A2, is needed for a their first six months in France,
this will be the first time it will Cartes de séjour pluriannuelles The consequences of the 10-year residency card, while and permitting undocumented
be put to a vote. can only be granted after a first proposed exams will be those applying for citizenship migrants working in industries
Nicole Devel-Laigle, president year spent in France, either on a more severe, according to must demonstrate intermediate with labour shortages to remain
of EuroMayenne, an association visa de long séjour valant titre Mr Darmanin, who told CNEWS: B1-level proficiency. legally in the country.
that helps foreigners in de séjour (VLS-TS) or on a one- “If they do not succeed, we will Ms Devel-Laigle believes a Mr Darmanin said he will
western France to integrate, year carte de séjour temporaire. take away their titre de séjour and majority of new arrivals could propose the automatic renewal
said: “Integrating means living There is currently no language they will have to leave.” pass an A1 test “if they use of multi-year titres de séjour for
among people from that coun- requirement for applicants, A1 is the lowest level of the French a bit when going shop- people who “cause no prob-
try, and interacting with them. although they must sign a Common European Framework ping, or speaking to their neigh- lems, and who have no criminal
This will be more difficult with- ‘Contract of republican integra- of Reference for Languages bours. If they do nothing, I think record” to avoid making them
out speaking the language.” tion’, which includes having their (CEFR). It means you can have they will need a few classes”. queue up at the prefecture.
Two-thirds of its 180 members French evaluated at the OFII simple interactions when the EuroMayenne offers beginner There are also plans to register
are native English speakers. immigration offices. The change other person is prepared to classes with the aim of reaching every foreigner ordered to leave
“However, if I put myself in would not apply to Brexit speak slowly and repeat things. A1 after 36 two-hour lessons. France on the wanted persons
the shoes of our members, it is Withdrawal Agreement cards. It is currently unclear whether MPs will also be consulted on list to know when they leave, as
true that it’s not always easy to Those who do not have an A1 the proposed language tests will allowing asylum-seekers from only aided and forced depart-
learn a language, especially as a level of French must agree to require A1 level or higher. The conflict zones to work during ures are currently recorded.

More apply to lose US citizenship

è Continued from Page 1
including so-called ‘accidental Americans’ –
people who obtain citizenship from a parent or
from being born in the US despite moving away
soon after.
The term was popularised by the Association
des Américains Accidentels (AAA), a French
group founded by Fabien Lehagre. Born in the
US, Mr Lehagre is considered an American tax-
payer despite having no attachments to the US
since moving to France when he was two.
He estimates that France has 40,000 ‘accidental
Americans’, with almost 300,000 in Europe, all
affected by the 2010 Fatca act which was passed
during the Obama Democrat administration.
The AAA has taken the US government to court
in two separate cases over the relinquishment fee
and the shutdown in processing requests during
Covid, arguing both are unconstitutional. While it
awaits a decision on the first case, it has appealed
against a decision of the District Court of
Columbia in Washington DC in the second.
Ronald Sokol, an American attorney who lives
in Aix-en-Provence, said: “Unless you want to
live or work in the US, there are no particular
advantages to US citizenship if you have
the nationality of a Western European country,
only disadvantages.”
Mr Sokol, who is a member of the bar in the US
and France, provides clients with a ‘Statement of
Reasons for Expatriation’, clarifying their reason
for giving up citizenship.
The US’s global tax policy is considered by
many to be unfair on Americans living abroad,
resulting in a financial burden because they must
abide by two tax systems and could face huge
penalties if they fail to comply.
One person whose France-based father relin-
quished US citizenship, and who prefers to
remain anonymous due to professional ties with
the US, said: “If my father had died an American
citizen, all of his assets would have been captured
by the US government and my mother would
have needed to pay taxes to the IRS to claim the
other half of the house.” Donna-Lane Nelson, a
second-home owner in Argelès-sur-Mer
(Pyrénées-Orientales), who is both Swiss and
Canadian, said she had no choice but to relin-
quish her American citizenship.
“It was the only option if I wanted to have a
normal financial life,” she said.
Ms Nelson’s story echoes a concern raised by
overseas Americans who often have difficulty
providing a required US social security number
or find banks reluctant to take them as clients for
fear of non-compliance with the US government.
US officials said the issue of some people not
being able to open a bank account is not related
to Fatca, saying “individual banks decide for
themselves whom they accept”.
They said that an invalid tax identification
number is regarded as a minor or administrative
error only, and they allow 120 days for banks to
correct any incorrect information.
They then take another 18 months in collabora-
tion with French tax authorities before any action
is taken towards an American taxpayer.
However, it has not stopped Americans overseas
calling for the repeal of Fatca. Keith Redmond,
who lives in France, is another voice denouncing
the burden of being an American living overseas.
He founded the association Stop Extraterritorial
American Taxation (SEAT).
SEAT showed that 76% of US citizens abroad
said they consider often, sometimes, or from time
to time renouncing citizenship, according to a
survey carried out in 2020 on 1,564 people – of
whom 279 were in France.
The three main reasons raised were the double
taxation system (38%), US tax return filing being
‘burdensome’ (17%), and the denial of access to
banking services (10%).
Americans who do not wish to be subjected to
Fatca were included in an IRS document called
the ‘Name and Shame’ list, as proven by a letter
sent to the Mishcon de Reya law firm, which rep-
resents a client taking on UK tax authorities
claiming Fatca’s information-sharing breaches
data protection rights.
“We call it the Freedom list,” said Mr Redmond.
 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com News 9

Ecological burials gain popularity slowly in face of tradition

Grievers are increasingly
turning to eco-friendly burials,
despite France remaining far
behind most western countries
in adapting its rituals.
The slow take-off can be
explained by the power of
ingrained Catholic values and
also of funeral lobbyists.
More than 269,000 people
were cremated in France in
2020, accounting for 40% of
all deaths.
The figure has been increas-
ing constantly since 1975,
with evolving mind-sets in
terms of the dematerialisation France’s first bicycle-hearse brings ‘softness’ to funerals
of remembrance.” A Paris funeral home has become ble penalty,” she said. Similar vehi-
The association publishes the first in France to offer services cles exist in the US, the Netherlands
information on its website in using a bicycle. and Denmark, but Ms Plumereau
French, English and German. The corbicyclette, from the French had to adapt the concept to France’s
“The trend has been around for hearse (corbillard) and bicycle, regulations, which state that the cof-
for 20 years,” he added, saying uses an electric-assisted bike to fin must be hidden.
lobbies of the funeral industry transport the coffin to the cemetery. The coffin is, therefore, enclosed in
have been actively undermining Isabelle Plumereau, founder of Le an opaque compartment.
any change that would include Ciel & La Terre, said she wanted to Ms Plumereau has been pleasantly
more ecological solutions, as make the grieving process “more surprised by the interest.
this would harm profits. soft and poetic”. “In France, I have often felt rather
The lobbying is particularly Loved ones can walk alongside the alone with my ideas,” she said. “I
intense against coffins made of coffin while “listening to the wind think society is ready to evolve.”

Photo: Nicolas Giquel

according to figures from the
Association Française d’Inform-
ation Funéraire (AFIF).
It is far below countries such
as the UK (76% in 2018),
Sweden (80%) or Japan (99.9%).
It is, however, higher than other
countries where Catholicism
dominates, such as Italy (20%),
Poland (11%) and Brazil (4.5%)
The industry has also expand-
ed its range of materials used
for coffins to include, for exam-
ple, cardboard, which is less
expensive and more respectful
of the environment.
Some associations are push-
ing for France to allow more
‘natural’ burial methods, such
as human composting.
AFIF president Michel Kawnik
said: “There is a growing inter-
est in departing life while being
respectful of nature, fitting
cardboard, a new material that
is attracting interest in France.
Agnès Dione, president of the
Association Cercueil Ecolo-
gique en Cellulose, who sells
cardboard coffins, said: “The
population is not informed.
“The information gets lost
along the way, somehow.”
She said sales have been plat-
eauing for years at only two
coffins a month and she experi-
ences difficulties explaining the
advantages to clients.
Both Ms Dione and Mr Kawnik
explained to The Connexion
some of the false information
circulated by lobbyists to deni-
grate cardboard.
Arguments include cardboard
being more pricey, clogging fil-
ters during cremation, consum-
ing more gas, or being less bio-
degradable than wood. The
The corbicyclette is black, in keeping with tradition, people who are already sad taking
with natural wood for a “warm and comforting” aspect exhaust fumes in the face, it’s a dou-
opposite to every argument is
true: cardboard is a third to a
quarter as expensive, and
requires less than 90 minutes,
– an hour less than wooden
coffins, on average – during the
cremation process.
“If I were to cut down a tree, I
would turn it into furniture,
rather than a coffin,” said
Mr Kawnik.
Countries such as Poland,
Sweden and the UK have
extended even more to include
felt, wicker or even biodegrad-
able mushrooms for coffins.
Other techniques have been
explored, such as cryomation,
where the deceased is plunged in
and birds” and holding on to bars The service will soon be available in
along the side. “When you see Paris and surrounding areas, though
each request will be assessed. “Hills
are a considerable obstacle.”
liquid nitrogen and frozen to composting from 2027. It is the This does not include the cost
-196C, aquamation, which uses only burial technique able to of a cemetery plot and depends
water rather than fire (chosen turn the body into natural com- on a variety of other services
recently by Desmond Tutu), post in 12 months, argued and optional extras.
or humusation. Francis Busigny, president of Coffins range from €650 to
Humusation refers to the nat- Métamorphose, mourir puis €3,800, funeral transportation
ural process of a body turning donner la Vie, a Belgian found- from €250 to €450, and funeral
into humus – a component of ation which is vocal about urns from €70 to €380, accord-
soil – and involves the burial of promoting the concept. ing to Funecap, a French funer-
a body two metres into the “Nothing helps the grieving als company.
ground among wood shavings process more than a growing An forthcoming eco-friendly
and mud, where it is trans- tree,” he said. innovation will see the village
formed by micro-organisms. It It is currently illegal to be bur- of Muttersholtz, in Alsace,
does not include embalming, ied without a coffin in France. inaugurate a memorial forest
nor the use of a coffin. Funeral services in France next year.
The phenomenon is gaining cost around €3,350, while This is inspired by similar
ground, particularly as cremation costs €3,609 on aver- sites in Germany, where urns
California will become the fifth age, according to figures from can be buried at the base
American state to allow human insurance company MetLife. of trees.

Start-up offers property

rental with option to buy
A START-UP is offering a new way to become a
homeowner with a rent-to-buy scheme similar to
those used to purchase cars.
It is aimed at people who do not meet the trad-
How much
succession tax will
said the company will make money from the
rents, which will be at market value for the area
where the property is situated.
If people change their mind and do not buy

your family pay?

itional credit assessment criteria used by most
French lenders, which are almost all based on
borrowers having a long-term contrat à durée
indéterminée (CDI) employment job contract.
Charles Ruelle, co-founder of Sezame, said: “We
aim to help people who are self-employed or
independent workers who find it difficult to get
housing loans from banks.
“It is also very useful for people who have been
working abroad and who have returned to France,
because they also often do not fit into the classic
lending profile banks have established.”
People interested in the scheme can approach
Sezame, which will study their finances before
agreeing a budget for clients to find a house.
Sezame then looks at the property to make sure
it meets its criteria, which include being in an
energy-use classification band for rental and not
needing major renovation.
It buys the house on the understanding that the
client will rent it for three years and purchase it at
the end of that period, if not before.
“As with car schemes, customers have a sched-
ule of how much the rent will be each month and
how much the price will be if they buy it at any
point in that period,” said Mr Ruelle.
“At the same time, we work with them, their
banks and mortgage brokers for them to be able
to borrow the money required at the end of three
years, or before.”
after three years, it will have a property which,
hopefully, will have appreciated in value and can
be sold, either on the open market or to another
Sezame customer.
“It is similar to having a rent-to-buy car, but
there are big differences,” Mr Ruelle said.
“Car models, for example, are all the same and
their depreciation rates are well known, whereas
every property is different.
“To be successful, we need to be confident most
of the people we deal with genuinely want to buy
the house they are in after the three years.” French succession tax can significantly Talk to the people who know
Based in Nantes, the company started operating reduce the amount your heirs inherit
early this year, and is on track to have around from you. Take action now so the 0 805 112 163 (N0 Vert)
a dozen houses bought by the end of the year. right people benefit from your estate france@blevinsfranks.com
It hopes to have around 40 in 2023, and to be in
a position to expand to a couple of hundred a year
– you may not realise how much tax
after that. you can save by having a ‘succession www.blevinsfranks.com
“So far, we have not had many English speakers health check’.
who live in France express an interest in the
scheme,” said Mr Ruelle. Contact the specialists at Blevins
“However, we have had interest from people Franks for personalised and effective
who have lived abroad and returned to France, or inheritance planning solutions.
who want to return to France.
“Like many entrepreneurs, artisans and other
self-employed people, they often do not have the
regular employment history French banks look
for before approving property loans.” INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVICE • INVESTMENTS • ESTATE PLANNING • PENSIONS
To date, most of Sezame’s business has been
based in the west of France. Blevins Franks Group is represented in France by the following companies: Blevins Franks Wealth Management Limited (BFWML) and Blevins Franks France

Three years is the length of time most lenders
require to have reliable financial data on potential
clients before they grant them a housing loan or
a mortgage.
Another company offering a rent-to-buy 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
property scheme is Hestia, which has focused its 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
start-up activities in Marseille. 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
It has created a fund to invest €10million in BX 498 800 465 APE 6622Z. Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et
043-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
Some of the rent money, around 10%, will also approximately 50 homes in the city, and, like Services Authority for the administration of retirement schemes. This promotion has been approved and issued by BFWML.

go towards a deposit for the purchase. Mr Ruelle Sezame, also launched earlier this year.
 10 News connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022

Vaccines, speed limits, gadget repair grant... what’s new in France

1. Pharmacy vaccines
Pharmacies can now
administer 14 more vaccines
and boosters, in addition to
the Covid and flu jabs.
These are: diphtheria, teta-
nus, polio, whooping cough,
HPV, invasive pneumococcal
infections, hepatitis A and B,
meningococcal serogroups A,
B, C, Y and W, and rabies.
Anyone aged over 16 can
receive the injections in a
pharmacy, but must have a
prescription from a doctor.
For a full list of vaccines
recommended in France,
see tinyurl.com/francevax.
2: Tax deadline
If you need to correct an
error or add a missing piece
of information to your income
tax declaration, you have until
December 14 to use the online
correction service.
You simply need to connect
to your personal account space
at impots.gouv.fr, and click on
on the first page ‘Déclaration
rectificative, annule et remplace’.
3: 90km/h roads
Yonne (Bourgogne-Franche-
Comté) has become the latest
department to raise speed
limits on some secondary
roads from 80km/h to 90km/h.
Almost half of departments
have now raised speed limits
on all or some of their roads,
since the national limit was
lowered to 80km/h in 2018.
4: Fuel discount
The state’s fuel discount
has fallen from 30 to 10 cents
per litre and will be removed
completely from January 1.
The government has said it
will be replaced next year by
targeted aid for lower-income
households and people who
need their car to get to work.
Horse ownership rules
New rules for acquiring a pet will
be extended to horses and donkeys
on December 31.
5: Repair grants ment and reducing no-shows.
A new grant of €10-€45 It will apply to the whole of
France by May 2023.
Log and wood pellet aid approved
to help towards the cost of
repairing electronic gadgets MPs have voted in favour cheque will be worth
and appliances will be intro- 7: Christmas bonus of a new support package €100 or €200, depending
Two million people on low
duced on December 15. worth €230million for on household income, and
incomes will receive a prime de
Around 30 types of product people who use wood to will cover more than the
Noël (Christmas bonus) start-
will be eligible, including heat their homes. 5.8 million households that
ing at €152 in mid-December.
washing machines and laptops, It follows the €100 to €200 received the usual chèque
as long as they are no longer It is paid to those receiving vouchers sent in November énergie in the spring.
the Revenu de solidarité active,
under guarantee. Find the full to households on lower Those who are eligible will
list at ecosystem.eco. Prime forfaitaire pour reprise incomes that use oil to heat have nothing to do – they
d’activité, Allocation de solidar-
You must use a repairer with their homes. should receive the voucher
the QualiRépar accreditation. ité spécifique, or Allocation The measure will help to automatically in the post.
équivalent retraite benefits. fund wood pellet or log pur-
6: Driving tests chases amid rising prices. Energy renovation: An
It is now possible to book Dates for your diary Around three million people amendment put forward by
your practical driving test slot in France heat their homes les Républicains will allocate
online in most departments. December 6: La Saint-Nicolas, with wood, according to the an extra €29million for the
The RdvPermis system was mostly celebrated in eastern Ademe environmental agency. MaPrimeRénov’ scheme
introduced in 2020, but only in France. According to tradition, It is not yet known whether to make homes more
certain areas, and is supposed Saint Nicolas distributes gifts the aid will be means-tested, energy-efficient.
to cut waiting times by making on this day while the Père or how to apply. It could be
it easier to book an appoint- Fouettard punishes children modelled on the heating oil Food banks: An extra
who have been naughty. support, which is dependent €40million has been approved
December 8-11: The Fête des
on household income.
The policy features in a bill
to help food banks cope
with rising energy costs
and the increasing number
Lumières light show in Lyon. seeking to revise the budget
for 2022, which was adopted of people relying on them.
Photo: Shutterstock_Leszek Glasner

Accédez à la correction en ligne.
If you submitted a paper
declaration, you will need to
contact your service des impôts
des particuliers (tax office),
sending either a letter men-
tioning the elements you wish
to correct, or a new, complete
declaration including inform-
ation you had already declared.
In this case, you should write
December 17: The first day of by MPs and must now pass
It will require prospective owners
the Christmas school holidays the senate. Below, we explain Energy costs: Universities will
to sign a contrat d’engagement et de
in France. some of the other measures also receive help with energy
connaissance, setting out the respons-
included in the bill. costs, and the army will have
ibilities involved in owning the ani-
December 26: Boxing Day, extra funds to buy fuel.
mal, which also requires a seven-day
known as la Saint-Etienne, is Chèque énergie: 12 million
reflection period. This will be pro-
a bank holiday only in Alsace- lower-income households Newspapers: €5million will be
vided by a previous owner, breeder,
Moselle. Although Christmas will receive a one-off energy dedicated to helping the press
vet or animal rescue centre handler. Rules already in place
The requirement is already in place for small pets will be Day falls on a Sunday this year, voucher to help offset rising in France cope with the rising
for dogs, cats, ferrets and rabbits. extended to horses the day off does not carry over prices from December. The cost of paper.
to the Monday.

Investment insight by Joanne Leach

Do fund managers get nervous like regular investors?

Joanne Leach
Senior Client Director,
Strabens Hall EU

Over the last five years news headlines have

shouted CRISES; Brexit crises, Covid crises,
Ukraine crises, inflation crises… it’s never
ending and nerve wracking, particularly when
you see your portfolio dragged downward. The
normal instinct is to want to bail out. But this
is often the worst thing you can do.
I asked the fund management team at Pacific
Asset Management if they felt the same stomach
churning, as I do even after investing for over
20 years, when markets fall.
‘’As professional investors, we are trained to
look through noise and headlines. But of course,
this is easier said than done; we’re also human.
“Experience of previous cycles is key; it
reminds us that markets are cyclical, trees do
not grow to heaven (we’re particularly sceptical
of ‘the next best thing’), so we expect market
falls as a very natural, and necessary part of
the investment journey, for which we are well
rewarded in the long term. Because of this, it is
often in falling markets where we find plenty
of mis-priced opportunities, so we also allocate
resource to finding dislocations where the risk
reward payoff is stacked more in our favour –
often because others have over-reacted to bad
news, or under-reacted to good news.
This communication is not intended to constitute and should not be construed as investment advice or investment recommendations or investment research.
‘‘…in falling markets we find plenty
of mis-priced opportunities...’’
“Long term investing is about controlling remain diversified; not too pinned to one Wishing you a prosperous New Year
risk, winning by not losing; so we also spend binary outcome and remain open to shifting and a Merry Christmas from the team
huge amounts of time making sure all our this stance quickly when we need to.’’ at Strabens Hall EU.
portfolios are not only within their risk When going through periods like this
parameters, but also that they remain highly it is important to remind yourself of the
liquid. We know the empirical evidence financial plan that you set at the start and
suggests remaining invested is the key to stick to it, avoid emotional decisions driven
the best outcome, so spending time with by news headlines.
our investors communicating and educating Having a robust plan with a diversified
startherefrance@strabenshall.eu
when markets are challenging is of utmost portfolio of investments and managers,
Strabens Hall France
importance to us. provides greater potential to enhance
37-41, Boulevard Dubouchage,
“Being human it can be tempting to ‘sell out’ your returns through the volatility and 06000 Nice, France
when sentiment is negative but experience also put you in a stronger position when +33 (0)4 93 13 33 45
tells us this is usually always the worst thing we markets bounce back.
Strabens Hall UK
can do, as negative periods are often followed We have also found that by regularly D’Arblay House,
by some of the strongest bounces. As we write reviewing your portfolio, checking the 16 D’Arblay Street,
the S&P is up 4% today off the back of better investments and having regular updates and London, W1F 8EA
than expected inflation data in the US which communication with your adviser is crucial +44 (0) 207 467 4444
could provide pause for central banks raising to understanding what is going on in the
interest rates as aggressively. markets and your portfolio. Contact your
“So we constantly balance news-flow, check adviser and make sure you’re getting the
our positioning and try to ensure our portfolios support you need.
 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com News 11

Louvre satellite museum in old

mining city brings culture to all
THE LARGEST museum in the world
FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002

January
opened a satellite in one of France’s poorest
cities on December 4, 2012. Ten years on,
the Louvre-Lens is slowly transforming the
Your questions answered
image of this former mining region. n Do French people still n Can renovation aid be
The museum is the fruit of a project mark their ‘name day’? refused due to applying
which began in 2003, when the Culture after signing contract?
n Can I sell some of my
Ministry decided it wanted to democratise n Solar panel work
collectables without
access to culture. keeps being put off
A year later, Lens beat competition from incurring French tax?
despite me having
other northern towns, including Boulogne- n Where can I rent arm- paid deposit: what
sur-Mer, Calais and Valenciennes, to be chair for disabled visitor? can I do?
Photo: Shutterstock_Takashi Images

chosen to host the Louvre’s first satellite site.

“It made a lot of people fantasise at the n Sister in UK named in n How can I ease death
time,” Hélène Corre, deputy mayor of Lens my will: will she pay tax? formalities for UK family?
in charge of culture, told The Connexion.
“People were talking about Bilbao, which
had a spectacular development [after the
arrival of the Guggenheim Museum]. The PLUS KEY POINTS OF...
Apply for a six-month
effects have been more subtle, but real.”
The past decade has seen Lens attempt to The Louvre-Lens is built on a slagheap, a remnant of the town’s mining past
reinvent itself as a tourist destination. the Mining Basin increased 20% between ers of the local RC Lens football team. “The
Tourism was previously mostly limited to
Britons and others visiting local war
memorials. Lens, a city of more than 30,000
2011 and 2019, with 1,200 additional beds
in hotels and other accommodation.
Ms Corre said the museum and accomp-
cost is not even the hardest barrier to
remove,” Ms Corre said. “It is difficult to
make people feel permitted to go there, and
visa to stay in France
people, had no museum before 2012. anying investments had helped the town to believe they will enjoy it.”
Ms Corre said the goal was to “give some navigate the difficult economic conditions of It is often easier to acquire the habit at a
confidence back to a population marked by recent years. With 450,000 visitors per year, young age, she said, which is why there are
the trauma of the closing of the mines and it is among the three most visited museums school visits and activities designed for
economic difficulties. outside of Paris, with Lyon’s Musée des children, “more similar to what you find in
“It was an area that needed a boost, and Confluences and Mucem in Marseille. museums in the English-speaking world”.
which deserved it in light of its sacrifices While the city would still like to bring in The architecture was designed in contrast
and struggles. The Louvre has completely more foreign tourists, the primary goal of to the heavy tradition of the Louvre in Paris,
changed the image of the city, including the museum was to attract locals. with a glass structure open to the environ-
among locals. There is a swelling pride.” A 2017 study found more than 20% of ment and meant to be less intimidating.
Among those sacrifices are the 42 miners visitors came from the Lens-Liévin urban Since opening, the museum has held
who were killed in an explosion in Liévin, community, while 65% were from the workshops in prisons and with jobseekers.
next to Lens, in 1974. Hauts-de-France region. To celebrate the anniversary, the tourist
The same year the Louvre opened, Lens More than half (56%) of visitors said they office is offering 10 weekend packages,
celebrated another milestone: the Nord-Pas were unfamiliar or not very familiar with marrying a visit to the museum with differ-
de Calais Mining Basin was listed as a museums, 13 points above the national ent experiences, from beer and football to
Unesco World Heritage site. average, and 4.3% had never been to a an Art Deco architectural visit of the town.
Florence Dupont, from the Lens-Liévin museum before. Louvre-Lens has also lined up a number

Photo: GL Archive / Alamy

tourist office, said: “The idea is to highlight
this heritage but turn towards the future.”
In order to attract a wide demographic,
the permanent collection of 200 pieces
of exhibitions and events over the coming
months, including an augmented reality provence on the page
She said the Louvre had helped shine a
light on the city’s industrial heritage – the
belonging to the Louvre is free to visit,
funded by regional and local authorities,
tour based on the Assassin’s Creed video
games. It will mark its birthday with work- The life of Marcel Pagnol
museum was built on a flat slagheap, and and temporary exhibitions showcase more shops, guided tours and concerts on
others are visible from the site. recent artwork. December 3 and 4, which is also the day of
“We have clearly seen a before and after,” In 2016, there was even an exhibition Sainte Barbe, the patron saint of miners. INTERVIEW: Serge Hercberg, the
she said of the museum. Overnight stays in dedicated to objects belonging to support- Find the full programme at jai10ans.com. Nutri-Score food ratings founder
Futuroscope park scoops three international awards + World in motion: Jules Rimet
+ Charcuterie, a buyer’s guide
Futuroscope has picked ing with the space colony
up three awards – more than theme, guests are encouraged + Land art: Alps snow canvases
any other theme park – at
the 2022 international Park-
to use as little water and elec-
tricity as possible, and the hotel
+ Farm produce vending machines
World Excellence Awards, has a system to recover heat
Photo: Th. RETIF, JL AUDY, Parc du FUTUROSCOPE

the industry’s ‘Oscars’.

The Poitiers park’s newest
from shower water and from
the powering of cold rooms
Interview
hotel, with a space colony used in the restaurant. The man who has helped
theme, received a prize for its
environmental credentials.
Waste is separated into 12 dif-
ferent recycling or composting
dozens of blind people to drive
The hotel is the first part of an
investment programme by
lines. The restaurant is also
on-theme, styled as a canteen
+ The coldest place in France
Futuroscope’s new owners
which seeks to transform part
on a space colony, with food
ordered on screens and deliv-
+ St-Quentin basilica in Picardy
Hotel rooms are designed to resemble a space colony
of the site from a theme park ered, in functional steel bowls, These and many more practical tips and topics
into a holiday resort. park to retain its futuristic insulation and reducing water via a system of conveyor belts.
about life in France + full access to our website

subscribe
Built by the Vienne depart- edge, and it was sold to private use, meaning it qualified as The park’s Tornado Chasers
ment in the late 1980s as a job owners. Ski resort business an Haute Qualité Environne- attraction also received two
creation project, Futuroscope Compagnie des Alpes is the mentale project. awards for ‘best dark ride’ and
quickly established itself as one current owner. Its 78 rooms were fully booked ‘best product innovation’.
of France’s main theme parks. The hotel, which has two- throughout the spring and The contest is open to theme
Visitors enjoyed futuristic person bedrooms from €220 a summer season. parks in Europe, the Middle
buildings and hi-tech thrill night and four-person family Judges praised the fact that the East and Africa.
Subscribe now to receive the January edition
rides, as well as a 360-degree rooms from €250, was built in hotel’s parking spaces were all Futuroscope said its peak at your home. Only €66 to a French address
immersive cinema. two years, and opened in time under solar panels supplying season with 625,000 visitors in
Changes to local government for the 2022 season. 130% of the electricity needed July and August was the best it connexionfrance.com
meant it was difficult for the During construction, guide- to run the hotel during daylight has had for 25 years. It hopes to
councils to invest as much as
was needed each year for the
lines were followed on points
such as installing high-quality
hours, with the surplus used
elsewhere in the park. In keep-
reach 2.1 million admissions by
the end of the year.
Call Nathalie on 06 40 55 71 63
 12 Interviews connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022

French abroad are our local ‘ambassadors’

Liv Rowland speaks to Olivier Cadic, close certain days due to lack of staff.”
one of France’s 12 senators for the
French abroad. He lives in the UK
In praise of bilingual education The Parapluie Flam network of French
mother-tongue Saturday schools,
MR CADIC recently helped mark the 10th annivers- which has around 50 UK branches, is
ary of the Collège Français Bilingue de Londres, in also suffering from a lack of teachers.
SENATOR Olivier Cadic was among the Kentish Town area of north London, where he Meanwhile, fewer French drivers
the signatories to a Le Monde opinion took part in a school radio broadcast. want to deliver to the UK and “risk
column defending French expatriates The school was originally part of a plan he organ- getting stuck on the way back”, so
after tougher rules were proposed ised to create 2,500 places in new French schools transport between Ireland and the
during debates on the 2023 budget law. in London. A 10-year-old asked him what he continent has increased, he said.
Several opposition MPs wanted thought of bilingual education. “I said ‘You’re 10, Brexit and tougher immigration
Photo: Patrice Negros / Oazifoto

them to have to visit a consulate
annually and to have to systematically
declare their worldwide income to
France, as Americans do to the US.
Mr Cadic thinks France’s system of
representation for its expatriates is the
best in the world but he was unhappy
at the proposals – which were not
accepted – and the way he says those
MPs caricatured the French abroad as
moving to avoid French tax.
France divides the world into con-
stituencies covered by 11 MPs for its
citizens abroad. It also has 12 senators,
a minister and a representative body,
l’Assemblée des français de l’étranger,
made up of delegates from many local
‘councils’ attached to consulates.
None of these exists for Britons or
Americans, though the US has an
the age of the collège, which I worked for. It was rules had backfired in some other
the first of its kind that we set up in both lang- ways. “It’s been good business for
uages. You were born with it. So you are the people-traffickers on the Channel,
answer to your question. I wanted to be able to who can charge more than before.
educate more children, so the fact you’re here and “We now have a real problem with
you’re happy with it – I couldn’t ask for more’.” migrants at Calais, and up the coast
up to Germany.” He added that those
rental and government pension out of the French abroad, whether it is retirees in certain countries, such as who do cross to the UK can end up
income, without benefiting from claiming – wrongly – that they pay no Portugal or Morocco. exploited in badly-paid work.
allowances restricted to residents. French tax, or suggesting they should In terms of demographics, things are He was recently received by British
Meanwhile, French lycées abroad are be stopped from leaving. changing with Brexit, as fewer young MPs and he asked what the benefits
much more costly than most private The Le Monde opinion piece aimed French people can come to the UK to of Brexit were, but they said it was
schools in France – for example, to counter this, he said. find work easily. Pre-Brexit they were “too early”. “I only see negatives.
almost €9,000/year at the school in He said left-wing party La France numerous, with around a third stay- “I can’t sell on the net into Europe
London’s South Kensington. Insoumise is keen on the ‘universal ing on after three years, a third going any more, it would cost the clients too
The French in the UK are also taxation’ idea. “It would be unbear- back, and a third going elsewhere, much. And I have extra costs when
affected by some post-Brexit changes, able. It causes a lot of complication often to other English-speaking coun- the books arrive from the continent.
such as having to pay a fiscal inter- for Americans, but the US also has a tries such as Australia and Canada. “The MPs said they had more
mediary if they sell a French property. different vision of the world from us.” “Those who have suffered most are ‘sovereignty’, but I asked how sover-
The Le Monde piece said the French It could even mean French people the young, as they used to be the most eign will they be if the UK collapses

“
informal group of congressmen called
Americans Abroad Caucus, who are
Universal taxation
[as practised by US]
would be unbearable
interested in issues related to them.
Mr Cadic, 60, said he has heard no
suggestion that any of this should
change, but the French abroad none-
theless face certain complications.
For example, for presidential elec-
tions, other than by proxy, they have
to vote in person at a consulate –
though Mr Cadic noted they can vote
online for legislative and local elections,
“which is very good”. They pay French
property taxes and income tax on
move for a variety of “good reasons”
and come from all walks of life.
Mr Cadic combines his senator role
with publishing translations of franco-
phone comic books Lucky Luke and
Blake and Mortimer, a business run
day-to-day by his wife Valérie.
“The books go down well in the UK.
The British have got used to them
now,” he said. “I used to meet lots of
Britons at trade shows who were frus-
trated because they saw all these comic
books in France that they couldn’t read
because they didn’t speak French. They
were happy we started doing it.”
Unlike the MPs, who have constitu-
encies, he as a senator has responsibil-
ities all over the world. “Today I’m in
England, but last week I was between
Atlanta and New York. Before that, I
was at Oran [Algeria] and next week
I’ll be in Doha [Qatar],” he said.
Mr Cadic said the extremes on the
political spectrum try to make capital
abroad who have never lived in
France having to declare due to their
inherited nationality, he said. “Some
don’t even speak French, so they’d
have serious problems, and it would
undermine our bilateral tax treaties.”
He added: “The French abroad con-
tribute to France’s image, they pass on
the language and our culture and they
contribute by their work. They support
France’s economic development, boost
exports and spread awareness of our
technology and savoir-faire.
“They have also often given up some
benefits of living in France. Not all
countries have the same health and
safety conditions as France, the same
education, etc. They are ambassadors
for France, sometimes like explorers
scouting out new territories. Others
work with NGOs with people in need.”
He added that the French abroad are
generally known for wanting to inte-
grate and adapt, apart from among
mobile, coming over to Britain to find
work and learn English. A member of
my family said their niece was think-
ing of coming over with a friend, and
that they would rent a flat and look
for work to improve their English but
I had to say that’s finished now.
“People are forced to go to Dublin
instead, but that’s causing other issues
over there, for rents, for example.”
In universities, he said EU coopera-
tion has been replaced by bilateral
arrangements between institutions,
which has avoided the British institu-
tions being “catastrophically” cut off.
“On the whole, though, the ‘global
Britain’ idea has ended up more as
‘local Britain’,” he said.
He said the closure of London’s
Charles Péguy centre, which used to
help young people who “arrived with
their rucksack on their back” was sad.
“It was a godsend to the hotels and
restaurants, but now some have to
economically?” He also stressed to
the MPs that a prosperous UK is in
the EU’s interest, and the EU is not
trying to weaken the UK’s economy.
“The one good thing I can say is that
attitudes of the British public towards
French people have become much
more positive, and it feels like we’ve
gone back to how it was before.
“All the nonsense we were facing,
where we felt like we were being
blamed for certain evils, is over now.
“Taxi drivers are happy to see us
again, whereas at the time of the
referendum they wouldn’t look at us
as they handed back the change.
“The British are starting to realise
they are more connected [to the
continent] than they realised – that
things are missing on the shelves.
“They are opening their eyes and the
Brexit mirage is starting to dissipate.
Hope is coming back. There’s a real
desire to keep in contact and rebuild.”

Career change: Pottery was my passion but I never believed it would pay
In our series featuring Sara Wevill with my website and at local craft fairs. I favourite pieces – a 60cm-high leop-
people who have ceramic giraffes New directions: had always enjoyed sculpture but did ard – attracted a lot of attention. He
not think I would be able to make a sold instantly to a gallery in Provence.
changed career in France,
First aid trainer to living out of it. I also ran classes for Then a representative from a
Sara Wevill, 54, explains animal sculptor adults and children. Japanese department store expressed
I was content with my work, but in an interest. When I told him the piece
how she finally found English as a foreign language at 2020 everything changed. was sold, he commissioned me to
Photo: Sara Wevill

the confidence to make
a living from ceramics
My husband James, 58, and I
moved to France in 2001 after he was
offered a job with a UK company that
wanted to set up a premises here.
James had some contacts in France
from a previous role and spoke
French well, so at the time it seemed
an ideal opportunity.
We moved to Le Mans (Sarthe) that
March, but about nine months later
the company made him redundant.
We decided to stay but it was a
difficult couple of years.
James is an engineer but his diploma
was not recognised in France and he
ended up working in a variety of roles
for different companies. Eventually, he
was offered a job with Renault in Le
Mans in January 2004. Having studied
Hammersmith College, and in March
2002 I got a job in the chambre de
commerce, working as a vacataire
teaching English to adult professionals.
3D speciality ceramics at degree level, I still did pottery in the evenings,
I had always wanted to work as a but just for myself as it was too hard
ceramicist, but it was a difficult field to set up a business at that time.
to get into. In 2009, when the autoentrepreneur
Instead, I started my working life in system came in, I registered and
1992 as a guide at the Natural History began to make and sell items on the
Museum in London, teaching pottery side. However, I kept my job as
in the evenings. vacataire, worried I would not make
Five years later, I began a job for St enough money from my ceramics.
John Ambulance. I became a trainer As things grew and I began to sell
and eventually progressed to being more of my work, I was forced to
responsible for all first aid training make a decision – to grow my busi-
across Wales. ness and give up a steady income
When we arrived in France, I spoke or to stay as I was.
no French at all and did not look for I decided to take the leap and I have
a job. However, when James was made never looked back.
redundant, I had to pick up what I Still focused on making an income,
could. Before leaving for France, I I made a lot of urns, domestic ware
had done a Celta course teaching and jewellery, which I would sell on
When the pandemic hit, like many,
I re-evaluated my life. Fatalistically, I
thought to myself: ‘If I’m going to die,
I may as well be happy.’ It was the
push I need to move on from home-
ware to my real passion of animal
sculpture, even though I was afraid I
would never make enough money.
I was wrong. The moment I changed
my website to reflect this new direction,
in November, I began to see interest.
Soon I was making pet sculptures
and received a large number of
commissions from doting owners.
I also worked on some larger sculp-
tures of animals, including elephants
and tigers. My husband got used to
taking a peek in the oven to see what
was cooking – only to discover an
elephant drying out inside.
When restrictions were lifted in
2021, I did a trade show in Paris
called Maison et Objet. One of my
make another, along with an owl.
Both were sent to a store in Tokyo
for display. It is amazing to think of
my sculptures being enjoyed so far
from home.
The interest in my animal sculptures
gave me the confidence I needed to
carry on. I am now exactly where I
always wanted to be – using my skills
as a ceramicist, creating lifelike sculp-
tures, and selling them too! I also still
run courses for adults and do children’s
workshops at a local museum.
My biggest piece to date is a metre-
long lion. We had to build a special
kiln to go around him.
Something on that scale takes about
six weeks. It takes patience and, as
my health is not great, I have to
sometimes take things slowly.
However, seeing the finished result
and the joy it brings to others makes
it all worthwhile.
 The Connexion December 2022
Magical transition from ski star to illusionist
Franco-Australian stage
magician Zatanna was
delighted to be shortlisted
for a prize she describes
as the ‘Oscars’ of the
magic world – the
spectacle magique de
l’année prize of French
magic federation FFAP.
Liv Rowland spoke to
the Cannes-based artist,
whose previous lives
include being an
Australian and French
Photo :Sylvia Marinai
water-skiing champion
ZATANNA is one of only a small
minority of female magicians in
a profession which is still very
male-dominated in France. She is
also the only transgender woman.
Born in Paris, 50-something
Zatanna has joint French-
Australian citizenship and lived
in Australia for many years before
returning in 2018 to be closer to
family on the Riviera.
One of her shows, Zatanna –
Aux frontières de la Transcendance,
has been chosen for 2023’s awards
for the spectacle magique de l’année
prize of French magic federation
FFAP in the ‘mentalism’ category.
This is a kind of magic in which
performers appear to show extra-
ordinary powers of intuition and
mind-reading.
Judges saw her perform at this
summer’s Avignon fringe.
Zatanna is thrilled to have been
picked after an incognito visit,
along with two well-known French
magicians, Taha Mansour and
Fabien Olicard, whom she called
“the French Derren Brown”.
“Even if I prefer Derren, it’s not
bad going!” she said. “This is the
only French contest where they
judge a magic show. There are
others which judge magicians on a
performance of five to 10 minutes
at a contest, but that’s different.
“The judges will come back
during a performance of the
nominated show – I won’t know
when – then they’ll decide.
“So, I’ll have to go on perform-
ing that one, but I love doing it.
“It’s magic and mentalism plus
storytelling, with a very British
atmosphere, with stories about
Scotland Yard, Arthur Conan
Doyle and the Titanic.
“I’ve got an old British postbox
on stage, and a crime scene with
ribbons saying ‘do not cross’.”
Zatanna said a mentalist “needs
a good memory, and knowledge of
psychology, philosophy and maths,
and to be witty, reactive and quick
on your feet.
“I especially enjoy acts where
I can do a cold reading of what
someone is thinking of.
“Sometimes things can happen
and you’ve got a kind of miracle
on your hands where you weren’t
expecting it. You can get inside
the minds of your audience.”
She added: “I love seeing the
amazement on spectators’ faces
and to make them forget their
everyday troubles, or Covid or the
economy. “For an hour-and-a-half,
they are in another world.”
She suggests people do not try
to ‘work out the trick’. “If they’re
doing that, I’m not doing my
job properly. “I have to get them
involved in a story, then they won’t
think about it. Maybe they will
afterwards, but not when they’re
watching it.”
Currently
performing
at Nice’s
Théâtre du
Cours,
Zatanna
originally
followed her
performing
dream with
acting less-
ons in Paris
in her 20s,
including
with John
Strasberg,
son of
renowned
US ‘Method’
acting
teacher Lee,
after which
she had a
brief stage, film and television
career in France. “With the Actors’
Studio style, I liked the fact you
had to be the character – you and
the character are one. It’s an ‘inside
job’, unlike classical theatre, which
is just that the costume and text
must be done well.
“All my favourite actors were
from the Actors’ Studio, like
Brando, De Niro, Pacino – people
that really get the feeling inside.”
In the 1990s, she joined the team
of gentils organisateurs (GOs) at
Club Med, which combined a love
of sport with evening performances.
“It was there [at a winter resort
in the Alps] that I got my first
taste for magic, in the early 90s,”
she said. “I had a snow-skiing
accident and couldn’t finish my
season because of a damaged
Achilles tendon.
“I worked during my rehabilita-
tion in a nightclub in Guildford,
owned by an old ski student.
That’s when I discovered magic.
“One of the doormen used to do
a bit. I talked to him and he sent
me to Davenports in London. I
connexionfrance.com
Zatanna’s
prize-nominated
show has a
‘very British
atmosphere’
went there and started to learn.”
Sadly, Davenports, the world’s
oldest family-run magic shop,
closed in 2020 after 122 years.
“I bought trick card decks and
books there and learned to do
things with regular cards as well,
and fell in love with magic.
“When I went back to Club Med,
I started practising in my free time.
“I even did it during a year on
“
board Club Med 2, a huge [200m]
I love seeing
the amazed
faces of my
spectators and
making them
forget their
everyday
troubles
Zatanna
five-masted boat [one of the
world’s largest cruise sailing ships].
“That was when I went to
Australia for the first time.”
Her interest in sports led to a
diploma in coaching and a water
skiing career, which saw her
become French champion in 2001,
Australian champion in 2008 and
a bronze medallist in the world
championships in 2005.
“It was around 2007 I decided to
go into magic full-time,” she said.
“I was doing it part-time and
getting more and more inquiries
and was getting older for sport
and getting too many injuries.
“It started with private parties
and corporate work, then in
Australia I had a big illusion
show, with assistants.
“I was doing the classics, like
cutting a person in half. I was
getting people up on stage and
making them levitate.
“I was putting swords through
a box. I had seven or eight doves,
a parrot, a rabbit and a fish! I was
Western Australia magician of the
year three years in a row.”
She is the only transgender
female magician performing in
France, having had a transition
part-way through her magic career.
She thinks she is the only one in
the EU, although in the UK Fay
Presto is well-known. “I’ve met her
a couple of times, she’s fantastic.
“Also Cara Hamilton [from
Scotland], a lovely lady who is a
mentalist and spirit medium.”
Zatanna makes no secret of
being transgender – the word is in
the name of her nominated show
– and she hopes to help blaze a
trail for other LGBT people.
Even so, she said it was
nerve-wracking when she came
out, around eight years ago, after
more than 10 years in the magic
business in Australia.
At first she felt “really scared”,
she said. “I had no idea if people
would accept it. But I did a test.
“At the clubs I sometimes dressed
as characters, like Inspector
Clouseau from the Pink Panther or
the Joker from Batman, so I came
dressed as a woman one time.
“It took a while for some of them
to recognise me, but to them it
was just another character.
“I wanted to see their reaction.
“I was very nervous but it was
well received. It was a change from
the classic magician who’s always
doing the same stuff.
“So, at the next meeting of the
Western Australia Magic Club,
I came out.
“I said you’ve seen me as
Zatanna – that’s how I’m going
to present myself in life and my
shows all the time.
“I felt this inside me but it took
me 50 years to come out. I hope
you’ll still be my friends.
“I was really surprised, because
they gave me a standing ovation
and came up to give me a hug and
said it was brave and fantastic.
“They were very supportive. I
get goosebumps talking about it
as it’s a memory I will cherish.”
She came back to France to
be closer to her mother and has
been building up her career in
the south, in theatres and for
private events.
“I entered the FFAP awards a
couple of years ago, but my show
wasn’t as good then,” she said.
“I’m really glad to be nominated
now, along with some of the best
magicians in France. The results
will be out in autumn next year.”
Zatanna said Derren Brown is
one of her mentalism heroes, as
well as American Max Maven,
who died last month.
“I met Max half a dozen times.
He was adorable and gave me tips.
I checked with him that my news-
paper trick was original.”
The trick involves tearing up a
paper with a spectator, who keeps
one piece and circles a word at
random, then restoring the paper
with that piece torn out, and then
making it whole again.
You can see it at tinyurl.com/
NewspaperTrick.
“In general magic, there’s
[Ameri­can] David Copperfield,
but for card tricks, the Spanish
Juan Tamariz and Dani DaOrtiz
are the best cardmen in the world.”
Magic / Interview 13
France seen as
the birthplace
of conjuring
Photo: Alamy / The Print Collector/Heritage Images
FRENCHMAN Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin is
seen by many as the father of modern stage magic.
“Everybody talks about him, from the US to
Japan,” Zatanna said.
“Even if the first magic trick we know of is a
cups-and-ball trick on the wall of a 4,000-year-old
Egyptian pyramid, and other magic comes from
China and Greece, which were more evolved than
us at the time, modern magic came from France
with Robert-Houdin, and Austria with Hofzinser
in the same period.”
Robert-Houdin (1805-1871), from Blois, Centre-
Val-de-Loire, was a watchmaker and illusionist,
and is seen as having made conjuring a fashionable
entertainment, as opposed to a fairground sideshow
or, before that, something feared in the days of
witch hunts.
He is said to have got into magic by accident after
ordering books on clockmaking and receiving a set
of magic books by error instead.
Among his most famous tricks was the Orange
Tree, where he would make a ring disappear and
then he would demonstrate an automaton of a tree,
which appeared to blossom and fruit on the stage.
“The fruit would open and butterflies would
come out, carrying a handkerchief, and the ring
was inside,” Zatanna said.
Later, the famous American-Hungarian magician
and escapologist Harry Houdini took his stage name
from Robert-Houdin.
France is also home to the Fédération internation-
ale des sociétés magiques, whose members include
the UK’s Magic Circle, the FFAP and Cercle Français
de l’Illusion, and the Society of American Magicians
in the US.
Founded in the 1930s, it runs a three-yearly World
Championship of Magic, which will next be held in
Italy in 2025.
Zatanna said: “It was the first international body
for magicians, based in France, with French as an
official language, even if everyone tends to perform
in English in international competitions now.”
Meanwhile, France’s national body FFAP
(Fédération Française des Artistes Presti­digitateurs)
has been going since 1903, representing the interests
of professional magicians in the country.
Zatanna said good contemporary French magicians
include Antonio, who often appears on television
and was the first magician to win M6’s La France a
un incroyable talent, in 2016, and Fabien Olicard,
who started on YouTube but went on to fill venues
such as Paris’s Zénith and Olympia.
In close-up and card magic, she said Bernard Bilis
stands out. He used to appear regularly on TV show
Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde, which ran from
1998 to 2019. “Also Dani Lary for big illusions, who
also appeared on that show,” she added.
14 Comment
Richard Ogier is an Australian journalist based in
Strasbourg. He has written on France and Germany
for the LA Times, Canadian Globe and Mail, Liberation,
Independent and for his native Australian press.
He joins The Connexion as a regular columnist
connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022
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

Macron’s nuclear T Far from taking

he Rassemblement National
has long had a habit of acting
differently from other political

gamble is high-risk
forces in France, and so it has been

a step back,
with the recent election (by an
overwhelming majority) of Jordan
Bardella, a 27-year old member of

but also high-reward

the European Parliament, as its new
president.

Marine Le Pen
M Bardella is something of a wun-
derkind. He was a councillor for his
party in Ile-de-France when barely
For the France of nuclear energy, it ought to be the best of times. As 20; head of the RN’s list in the 2019
numerous nations up the ante on the atom, it makes sense to be mining, European elections and, the same

is the woman
as it were, the French nuclear example. year, aged just 24, became the party’s
With one of the largest and most sophisticated nuclear industrial vice-president, having previously run
complexes in the world — almost 70% of French electricity comes from its youth wing.
nuclear — France is drafting legislation due to go before the parliament Also in 2019 it was disclosed that
in December, that could usher in a brilliant new dawn for the sector. Or his petite amie was Nolwenn Olivier,

mean a long winter’s night of disillusion. niece of his boss, Marine Le Pen.
The draft law cuts red tape for the construction of six new nuclear reactors They live together, and Mlle Olivier
with the possibility of eight more. It follows President Macron’s announce- embodies some of the finest old
ment of a massive national nuclear ‘renaissance’, at the core of a climate French virtues for which the RN
and energy strategy aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. stands: notably, she is said to be a
The strategy, first announced in February, comes wrapped in both a superb cook, which is just as well,
big-picture political pitch, to make France a “great ecological nation”, and as M. Bardella is said to be keen
a promise, to “go twice as fast on cutting greenhouse gas emissions”. on his food.
Covering a wide range of subjects from biodiversity to farming, it outlines Outside France, where those with a
big ticket investment in renewable energy, notably offshore wind. casual interest in the country’s poli-
But the most striking aspect — arguably the utopian tics settled long ago that Mme Le Pen
element — is the herculean pledge to build the six new was simply Hitler in drag and have
reactors (model EPR2) with the first to be in service by Of France’s not bothered to think seriously about
2035, and a possible additional eight by 2050. her, or her party, since, the news that
There’s value in sweeping national energy strategies,
56 nuclear she was standing down as president
when the tendency in some countries, like Australia, reactors, provoked ill-informed excitement.
has been to prevaricate while insisting on the impera- almost half It was not, of course, the end of
tive of fossil fuels, highly lucrative export earners but Mme Le Pen. Now the proud posses-
a metaphor for long-term environmental destruction. are at a sor of 89 députés in the Assemblée
Yet the sheer scale and dimension of Macron’s standstill Nationale, she has chosen to concen-
initiative invites a certain scepticism. France has put trate on leading the party and, in
no new commercial reactor into service for more than an assembly where the President of
20 years and no EPR has ever actually been completed in France. the republic commands no absolute
Work began on a first French EPR in 2003 at Flamanville in the north- majority, on making it into a power-
west, for delivery in 2012 at a cost of €3billion. But earlier this year, state ful parliamentary force.
power utility Electricité de France (EDF) announced further delays through It is possible that M. Macron will
2023 and a staggering €16billion cost blowout. dissolve the Assemblée Nationale
The delays are due to no lack of urgency. Of France’s ageing infrastruc- as soon as he legally can – after
to beat in 2027
attract a more substantial following,
but the idea of the French electorate
putting into office what is effectively
a Bolshevik party remains far-fetched.
Less so is the notion that Mme Le
Pen might actually win the presiden-
cy in 2027. She showed earlier this
year how far the French electorate
sympathise with her policies.
There are difficult economic times
ahead, and problems in the crucial
relationship between France and
Germany; and migrants are pouring
into France largely unchecked thanks
to the absence of internal borders in
the EU [we note controls at border
points between France and Italy have
been stepped up], and not all are
being decanted across the Channel
to Britain. She is out there making
these arguments already while most
of her opponents are scrabbling
not Français de souche.
His mother’s family is Torinese
and settled in France from Italy in
the 1960s; earlier in the last century
his Algerian paternal great-grandfa-
ther migrated to France. However,
like so many of immigrant stock he
has now become more French than
the French, not least in pursuing his
ambitions in his chosen party.
It was certainly unwise of him to
proclaim support last year for a
group calling itself Génération iden-
titaire, which had been banned by
the government for inciting racial
hatred; and rather mischievous, to
say the least, for him to describe
Trappes, in Île-de-France, as an
“Islamic republic” and “the European
capital of Jihad” when it re-elected
a Muslim mayor.
The authorities indicted him for

ture of 56 nuclear reactors, almost half are at a standstill for maintenance next June, a year since the previous
— with schedules slowed by the Covid pandemic and industrial action elections – in the hope of securing
— or due to what the national nuclear watchdog has worryingly called, that majority.
“corrosion”. And this at perhaps the worst possible time, given the global His popularity is no better than it
impacts of Russia’s war on Ukraine on fuel prices and food security. was in June, despite a recent minor
Yet France’s relative energy independence, nuclear expertise and strict recovery from a nadir earlier in the
safety regime are widely recognised and a source of national pride. autumn, so calling such a premature
France has never had a large-scale nuclear accident à la Chernobyl,
Fukushima, or Three Mile Island in the US.
election would bring with it the risk
that the President would end up more
In a country with few anti-nuclear voices, Jean-Marc Jancovici, a impotent and marginalised than he
high-profile engineer and climate activist, was able to write a vast is already, and France more divided.
best-seller last year arguing the virtues of nuclear energy as almost Nonetheless, Mme Le Pen is ensur-
carbon neutral, cheap for consumers and a high-efficiency, “non-intermit- ing that her parliamentary party
tent” energy source. In long comic book form, Le Monde sans fin is fighting fit for the challenge
(The World Without End) has sold half a million copies. whenever it comes.
Yes, nuclear energy produces toxic waste, but nuclear science knows
how to store it. And there is comparably little of the highest-grade variety.
And while she is focusing on that,
M. Bardella minds the shop not so
“A gram of uranium produces as much heat as 2.5 tonnes of coal or a much as a leader, but more as what
tonne of petrol,” Jancovici writes. “The long-life, high-level waste produced those familiar with British politics
since the beginning of nuclear power (in France) 50 years ago could fit would recognise as a party chairman:
into an Olympic-size swimming pool.” the power rests with Mme Le Pen,
The so-called Small and Medium Reactors (SMRs) favoured in the US and he takes his orders from her.
and Canada, where four provinces are working on an SMR development Mme Le Pen will be increasingly
project, probably wouldn’t work for France because not powerful enough, visible in France over the next four
many experts claim. SMRs may ultimately prove cheaper and easier to years, even more than she has been
deploy than the concrete cathedrals of the EPR. But France, it seems, in the past. Barring some act of God,
needs the optimised EPR2, size XXL. she will be the party’s presidential
So how much nuclear energy is enough, for France, and for Europe? candidate in 2027.
Phuc-Vinh Nguyen, energy specialist at the Jacques Delors Institute in M Macron cannot run again. Les
Paris, a think tank, says the answer lies in the energy mix, because it Républicains and the Parti socialiste
can be co-ordinated at both the national and European levels. Above all, not only remain shells of their for-
he says, “avoid putting all your eggs in one basket.” Perhaps the climate mer selves, but have since the elec-
crisis has reached such proportions that it’s necessary to push ahead tions in June shown no real sign of
forcefully on all the major, would-be solutions. And at speed. life. On the prehistoric left, Jean-Luc
Mélenchon and La France Insoumise
“
Jordan Bardella minds
the shop not so much
as a leader, but more
as a party chairman:
the power rests with
Mme Le Pen
around on the floor looking for
their metaphorical contact lenses.
The 2027 campaign has begun and,
unless some hugely popular candi-
date emerges from the centre, rather
as M Macron did in 2017, she is the
woman the others have to beat.*
Is M Bardella likely to help this?
Well, as the process of dédiabolisa-
tion – literally, taking the devil out
of the party – continues, he may
have something to offer. In a party
that has in the past rooted itself in
French national identity, and where
the only ethnic diversity considered
feasible was that reflecting a nation
of Franks and Gauls, he is certainly
this, giving him a platform to
denounce them for stifling freedom
of speech and preventing discussion
of issues vital to French society. A few
more such martyrdoms and the RN
will be well on the road to victory.
M. Bardella was unmoved, adding
to his reputation by describing some
parts of France as more like
Afghanistan. Some of his more
enlightened opponents are aware that
a substantial number of French now
agree with him, and his contention
that immigration is out of control and
wrecking the Frenchness of France.
In most political parties, a loose
cannon such as M. Bardella would
be a liability. In a France tense about
what is going on in the banlieue, as
well as about many other matters, he
could be a formidable weapon in the
RN’s armoury. And more than that,
he might even enhance Mme Le Pen
by making her look entirely moderate.
* A recent Ifop poll for Le Journal du
Dimanche suggests Marine Le Pen
would come out top in the first round
if this year’s presidential election was
repeated six months on, jumping from
23.5% to 30%. In a second round
against Emmanuel Macron, she scored
47% in the poll, compared to 41.5% in
April’s run-off. The poll was carried out
online on 1,125 French people.

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 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com Comment 15

Electric car deal could wipe out Nabila Ramdani is an award-winning

French-Algerian journalist who specialises

European automobile industry

in French politics and the Arab world.
Her articles feature in the French national
press as well as internationally.
She is a regular columnist in The Connexion.

“
An EU agreement banning

Anglo-Saxon working
new petrol and diesel cars
will price many out, electric
car expert Nicolas Meilhan
The strain on fuel
culture dominates the
Photo: Shutterstock_Semmick Photo

tells Martin Greenacre

provisions is being
European legislators agreed a deal
in October which would see the sale
of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars
redirected to metals
Nicolas Meilhan,
world – no wonder the
French want to get off
banned in the EU from 2035.
This could have devastating conse-
Electric cars are increasingly popular in France
EV-volumes.com
quences for car manufacturing on
the continent, warns Nicolas Meilhan, world’s second largest economy could published in October, it claimed the
senior adviser at EV-volumes.com, keep primary resources for itself, or carbon footprint over the lifetime of If you had to name a country that
a database that records electric force companies to move their factories an electric car in France is half to likes to think about work more than
vehicle sales worldwide. to Asia in return for refined cobalt, a third that of a fossil fuel-powered doing it, then France would have to

Photo: Shutterstock_sirtravelalot
“In 2035, 80% of the new car market he warned. car, provided the battery is smaller be top of the list. The nation is built
will be small, inexpensive electric cars “Today, China is the second largest than 60kWh. on refined ideology, rather than toil.
made in China,” he predicts. manufacturer of electric cars sold in Manufacturing electric vehicles Grisly Soviet republics were the kind
More than 160,000 new electric cars Europe, just behind Germany, but in my pollutes more than other cars, and where heavy-handed labourers were
were sold in France in 2021, accounting opinion they will overtake them too.” the environmental impact increases glorified, but the Gallic version
for 9.8% of the new car market. Cobalt is often used in car batteries so in almost direct proportion to the celebrates sloth.
However, far more second-hand vehi- they can store more energy and cover vehicle’s weight, according to Ademe. This traditionally means a 35-hour Desk sandwiches are slowly
cles are sold (six million last year) than greater distances. A small electric car will need to run week, the whole of August off and – invading French workplaces
new cars (1.6 million), and Mr Meilhan There are other batteries, like lithium for 20,000km to compensate for the bon appétit! – a very long lunch every
believes the latter will be increasingly iron phosphate (LFP) used in certain added pollution during manufacturing, day, ideally with everyone else in your office except the boss, so that
out of reach under the new regulations. Tesla cars, which must be charged more while an SUV will repay this ‘debt’ only you can all plan your next strike over the cheese course.
“Europe is the only continent doing often but require fewer rare metals. after 100,000km. Accordingly, the great philosophical conundrum
this. We might be giving the kiss of “If we decided batteries need not be It also said electric vehicles with small posed by visitors to the land of Descartes,
death to our manufacturers,” he said, greater than 40 or 60kWh, meaning batteries will cost less money over their Montesquieu and Voltaire is invariably: “How on The French
adding that fewer people will be able 300 to 500km of autonomy, we wouldn’t lifespan than combustion-engine cars, earth does anything get done?”
to afford new cars. have this problem, as we could use LFP.” once various grants are deducted. The question – if not the answer – came into are sick
One obstacle is the cost of producing He argues the best way to reduce Mr Meilhan said electric cars are most sharp focus during the lockdowns when people of all the
batteries, which represents 40% of manu- dependence on fossil fuels is to focus on suitable for people who drive at least 30 had even more downtime than usual. The pensive
facturing outlay due to the costly metals short journeys, the easiest to electrify. km per day. “That means your fuel bill settled down in their comfiest armchair – or Louis buzzwords
needed, according to the engineer, who “We could aim to go without petrol is €150 per month. With a secondhand XIV chaise longue even – and considered that, yes, that have
graduated from MIT and ESTP Paris. or diesel by 2030 for daily trips, which electric car costing €100 per month, they really were losing the will to work.
“2022 is the first year where the price represent 80% of all journeys.” plus charging the battery, you will save This is the conclusion of a new study, by Ifop and been
of batteries has increased, which is why The EU hopes for all cars to be CO2- money without needing any grants.” Fondation Jean Jaurès, which demonstrates that imported
the price of electric cars has risen neutral by 2050, as the average car life- He has called on the EU to do more the laziness bug that has always lurked across
between 10% and 30%. span is 15 years. to ensure a sufficient electricity supply. France has turned into a full-blown national from
“Lithium prices have multiplied by Mr Meilhan said the focus should be “Electric cars were good because they epidemic. In terms of hard polling numbers, this America
10 in the last two years. Unfortunately, on households in rural areas with no cost four times less to charge than it cost manifests itself as just 24% of the country describ-
the strain on fuel provisions is being access to public transport which have to fill up a petrol car. But that was before ing work as ‘very important’ in their lives. This and Britain
redirected to a strain on metals. more than one car. In 2018, 36% of electricity prices quadrupled.” compares to a frankly exhausting figure of 60%
“Where we were dependent on Opec households had at least two cars. The measure must now be formally back in 1990. In the words of high-profile Greens
(oil exporting) countries for 40% of “One could be electric, and they could adopted by the EU Parliament and MP Sandrine Rousseau, the French have earned “the right to idleness”.
our fuel, we will end up being 80% use the other for long distances.” Council. So, what has changed, apart from people spending unlimited hours
dependent on China, as China controls French environmental agency Ademe Volkswagen has already said it will lounging about in pyjamas watching daytime TV while pretending to
the entire supply chain of batteries, and agrees on the need to ensure electric produce only electric vehicles in Europe WFH (work from home)?
notably 80% of cobalt refining.” The vehicles are not too large. In a report from 2033. That the French translate WFH into télétravail might give us a clue.
If it sounds like a mocking reference to Star Trek – still one of the

Dental work in France is a lottery

by Samantha David painstaking and tricky as a root canal
only costs €33.70. An extraction costs
A dentist named Lionel Guedj was €33.44. How can dentists make a living
jailed for eight years in September for from such pathetically low prices?
performing unnecessary dental work on The answer is they can’t. They avoid
his patients – to such an extent that he is those types of appointments like the
estimated to have mutilated thousands plague and, if obliged, carry out the
of people in Marseille where he worked. treatments in record time. I once had a
So when I chipped a filling during a scale and polish which took less than
press trip to Marseille, I was hesitant six minutes!
about getting an emergency dental Instead, they try to persuade patients
appointment. But I have glass teeth, to have more radical treatments, for
and from experience I know that an which they are allowed to set their own
untreated chip could easily become a prices: crowns, bridges, inlays.*
broken tooth. So, having scoured As a system, it kind of works. Except
Doctolib for an appointment, off I that crowns last around 20 years before
went to an address near the old port. needing to be replaced, and you can
Initially, my fears were confirmed. The only replace crowns once or twice before
dentist took an X-ray and said he could you need an implant. Once you start on
not possibly mend my chipped filling. radical dentistry, it’s never-ending
The entire tooth was dodgy, he said, Extractions for people who cannot pay
and I needed a crown. In fact, my whole for crowns are another frequent solution.
mouth was in dire shape. It solves the toothache but opens up a
French dentists are paid peanuts for host of other problems. Remove one
simple jobs such as a check-up (€23), tooth from a row and all the others will
simple filling (€16.87), or a clean and shift out of place and the mirror tooth
de-scale (€28.92). Even something as above or below the gap will have no
twin to chew with, meaning that tooth
also becomes more fragile. Minor infec-
tions in teeth and/or gums are strongly
connected to heart disease.
Anyway, I was thinking all this but
didn’t say any of it. I just explained that
as I was only in Marseille for a few days,
I had hoped for a temporary dressing
until I could get an appointment with
my own dentist, who is a believer in
conservative treatments to preserve
natural teeth.
We talked about it for a while, and the
stupidity of the government’s pricing
policy, and then he cleaned the tiny chip
in my tooth, disinfected it, filled the gap
and polished the new surface. I was
thrilled, but also lucky. Not all French
dentists would have done such meticu-
lous work for the measly sum of €16.87.
*Editor’s note: It is now possible to get
free crowns and bridges through the
100% Santé scheme if you have a
mutuelle. Dentists must state on any
quote if a free option is available, but are
not required to do the work themselves.
most bingeable boxsets for those without any chores to be getting on
with – then it shows what the French think of all the jargon that has
entered the workplace in recent years.
The truth is that they are sick of all the buzzwords that have been
imported from America and Britain – collectively known as the dread-
ed ‘Anglo-Saxon’ countries – and which reflect drastic changes in old
working practices. Terms that further encapsulate the horror of the
new order include ‘sandwich-at-your-desk’ and ‘giving 110%’. They
represent attacks on treasured Gallic rights that relatively new
technology has made impossible to defend.
We all take social media for granted nowadays, but before around
2010 many did not touch it, and there were very few ways of telling
what workers were up to in their spare time.
You don’t have to go back much earlier – let’s say 1995 – for a
time when email and even mobile phones were only used by a
minority. This meant you could literally disappear for huge chunks
of the day without any kind of monitoring whatsoever.
The basics all used to get done – shops opened, businesses did
fine, public services were available to all, just as they are today. The
difference was that nobody was able to impose obsessive Anglo-
Saxon work mania through never-ending communication.
Now the clear line of demarcation between work and leisure has
disappeared completely, and joie de vivre is the main casualty. Work
has become a way of life, rather than a part of life, and everybody is
meant to be chasing results and profits 24/7, like they do in London
and New York. As the global economy and ever faster and more
intrusive tech threaten Gallic culture even more, it is little surprise
that so many French people have had enough of it all and want to
spend their precious time doing something a lot less productive.
 16 Letters
Do you agree? Local mairies are fundamental to democracy
by Nick Inman
During the Revolution, France
developed a peculiar system of
government which was both highly
centralised and at the same time
deliberately devolved.
It is still with us – but only just.
While Paris deals with the big stuff,
local affairs are theoretically left to
the 35,000 communes.
In between are two other levels of
administration: departments and
regions. The perennial and perhaps
unanswerable question that all politic-
ians wrestle with is: which service
or duty of the state is best provided
by which tier of government to get
the best value for the taxpayer’s
money and to maximise democratic
accountability?
In some cases, the choice is not that
difficult. You would not want every
primary school to study a different,
unstable curriculum at the whim of
the local mayor – but you would want
this person to do his or her best to
keep the village school open when
indifferent bureaucrats far away want
to close it and bus the children 10km
down the road. In other cases –
They said it …
Thanks to Putin, it’s all
over for the fossil fuel era
Amory Lovins
US scientist argues for energy efficiency and renewables in Le Monde
In France, [Education Minister]
Pap Ndiaye’s appointment
aroused suspicion, whereas in the
UK Rishi Sunak’s was celebrated
Philippe Bernard
Le Monde journalist compares the two country’s attitudes to diversity
Social networks are contributing
to a rise in ignorance
Plantu
The cartoonist in Nice-Matin
I am not trying to evade questions
or pass the buck. I was the head
of the government and assume
responsibility for all actions taken
by members of my government
Edouard Philippe
Former prime minister on the inquiry into France’s
handling of the Covid crisis, on France2
I would be very happy to sing
Roxanne every night of my life
Sting
The musician in concert in Toulouse, according to La Dépêche du Midi
With the gilets jaunes, part
of the middle class entered
into political violence
Didier Lallement
Former prefect of police in l’Opinion
We are doing the job,
but we are not perfect
Yannick Jadot
Environmentalist and politician tells France Info he is
fed-up with Greens being blamed for climate inaction
connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022
with: empowerment and identity. The that has not yet been answered is:
commune represents direct democracy. what happens if you ask people to
You know who your mayor is and he show allegiance to an amorphous
or she might only have 400 residents communauté de commune (that has
to take care of. been created on a spreadsheet) and
You get to vote for them personally as to a mega-region that stretches two-
long as you are an EU national – Brexit thirds of the way across France?
disenfranchised British residents. The changes must mean that
The mairie, meanwhile, whether big attachment to democracy is weakened.
or small, stands in the centre of the When people stop believing their
Photo: shocked_shutterstock
community as a reminder that we are representatives know who they are,
all in the same thing together and they feel less solidarity with their
supposedly living by the code of liberté, neighbours and more likely to
égalité, fraternité. disengage from politics.
Now, though, as responsibilities are Local government is often regarded
taken away from the commune and as an irritant by centralising énarques
Responsibilities are being taken away from communes and passed higher up
passed higher up the food chain, the (graduates of the Ecole nationale
healthcare, refuse collection, street the interests of efficiency and mayor is becoming an apologetic d’administration) because bumbling
lighting, public transport – there are cost-effectiveness. figure. Rather than sorting out your mayors can interfere with their over-
complicated arguments to be made Which means that all ministers of problem on the spot, he or she is arching plans for the country.
but, generally, the commune and its the interior want to chunk up local more likely to claim impotence In fact, it is fundamental to demo-
mayor needs to be involved in how government into larger units to cut and refer you to the president of cracy. Reduce mairies to mere decor-
decisions are reached. costs. The already expansive regions the communauté, who is indirectly ative buildings and you send the
Until not long ago, the mayors of have been forced to combine into elected (by the mayors) and represents message that the elites really don’t
all communes had quite extensive even larger ones and the communes 40,000 faceless constituents. care about the little people. We all
authority and involvement in the encouraged to band together as The other factor to consider is know where that leads.
machinations of state, but things communautés de communes. identity. People are often proud of
are changing. In these days of We can argue over the economics of their departments, many of which Do you agree or disagree with
standardisation and uniformity, gov- this process – are economies of scale coincide more or less with the ancient Nick Inman? Tell us why at
ernment policy is to reduce the idio- really being achieved? – but there are provinces of France. They also identify news@connexionfrance.com
syncratic heterogeneity of France in two other important issues to deal with their communes. The question
More reasons Praise for online Vet salaries
to learn French language course welcomed
I am a vet in France and
your article on
Standardised
charger cables
Photo: Shag 7799_shutterstock
I really enjoyed the article on I am a language teacher and the troubles the profession is I was surprised to read the
reasons to learn French in the know that total immersion facing (Connexion, October). letter from John Gregory in
October issue – and have some works for children, but adults However, the stated annual the November issue of The
others to add. need explanations in their own salary of €80,000 is not right. Connexion complaining about
Firstly, it is satisfying to ask language. There is an excellent One reason vets are leaving the EU standardising charger
for something in French and free online course called Coffee is the meagre pay. A new cables from 2024.
get it. Equally, when I make a
joke and see the cogs whirring,
Break French (additional mat-
erial is available for a fee) that
graduate makes €1,637 net
per month; experienced vets
To me it seems a good idea. We
have a drawer full of chargers
followed by “C’est une blague?” uses the “for adults” method. €2,605. The suicide rate of vets and it is always difficult to lay
and a laugh, it feels great.
Secondly, if you like certifi-
It comprises a daily 15-minute
lesson, which is downloaded
is four times that of the average
citizen. New graduates do not
your hands on the one you want.
Will Apple refuse to comply?
cates for your wall (and I do), and repeated as many times as want to work for a poor salary I doubt it. Today most electrical
there are various exams you can necessary. Once the student is and often face abuse from appliances are made in China,
take, including Delf and Dalf. happy, they move on to the clients. I, for one, am looking and they come with the appro-
Paying to sit these exams does next. The secret is to do a forward to retiring. priate connection for the coun-
motivate you to work for them!
Claude Gagnière said: “A man
lesson every day without fail.
A friend of mine swore she
Anne SCHEVING, by email try they are exported to.
Then there is the motor
who speaks three languages is was incapable of learning Editor’s note: The rate we industry to consider. They
trilingual. A man who speaks another language. I persuaded quoted came from data from the have no problem producing
two is bilingual. A man who her to try the Spanish one. She Ordre national des vétérinaires’ right-hand drive versions for
only speaks one language is followed it for three weeks, and 2022 report on the profession. the British and Irish market.
English.” Let’s prove him wrong.
Finally, there is evidence that
then went to Spain, where she
was astonished to find she
We acknowledge that many
variables can come into play
If they can do it, then I am
sure that Apple and the other
being bilingual slows the onset could follow conversations and with this such as age and region manufacturers will be able to
of Alzheimer’s by five years.
Simon CROXSON, by email
even take part in them.
John HOLLOWAY, by email
of France. The amount quoted
was a national average.
do so as well.
Martin KEARNS, Vendée
Dans le passé – 10, 50 and 100 years ago
December, 2012 December, 1972 December, 1922
Teenage girl snatches baby Missing family mystery Olympian Ostermeyer born
Photo: Boris15_shutterstock
A 17-YEAR-OLD girl, Lucie, kidnapped On Christmas Eve, a family of four December 23 saw the birth
a newborn baby from a maternity unit went missing when returning from a of Micheline Ostermeyer, the
in Nancy. Wearing a blouse resembling gathering at a friend’s home in Cognac first French woman to win an
a medical uniform, she claimed to a (Charente). Jacques Méchinaud, 31, his Olympic athletics medal.
suspicious patient that she was a nurse wife Pierrette, 29, and their children Eric Ostermeyer was the great-
taking a baby to another room so that
the mother could rest.
and Bruno, seven and four, began driving
home around 01:00 in a journey that
niece of Victor Hugo, and niece
of the composer Lucien Laroche. As a
The pair were traced thanks to the should have taken only a few minutes. child, she lived in Tunisia and after the
Alerte-Enlèvement system, set up in
France in 2006 to help locate abducted
They never arrived and police have
no leads to suggest what might have
outbreak of World War Two performed
weekly piano recitals on Radio Tunis.
minors and involving media channels happened to them. It was during this time that she started
Photo: Obatala-photography_shutterstock
and passenger transport companies. No bodies have ever been found, nor competing in sporting events. Shortly
The infant was found unharmed in the has any sign of their car or any witnesses. afterwards, she won two golds and a
property where Lucie, an apprentice hair- Children’s wrapped Christmas presents bronze at the 1948 London Olympics for
dresser, lived with her boyfriend. Her
lawyer insisted a “personal, private and
were found waiting for them at their
home and no clothes were missing.
shot put, discus and high jump.
After her shot put victory, she gave an
relatively recent story” explained the girl’s It was later discovered that Pierrette impromptu Beethoven performance at
actions, and she had gone to the hospital had a lover but it is not thought this man her team’s headquarters and a concert at
to be in a maternal environment. was linked to the family’s disappearance. the Royal Albert Hall.
 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com Letters 17

The Connexion letters pages are Inheritance planning in France.

sponsored by Protect your heirs. w w w. b l e v i n s f r a n k s . c o m

No enthusiasm
for a royal visit Residency status Rental market squeeze Another exile
To follow up Nick Inman’s

I was somewhat nonplussed

by Meg Fenn’s suggestion
(Connexion, November) that
Britons in France would wel-
come an opportunity to pay
their respects to King Charles.
For many Britons we know, a
side benefit of living in France
is that it is a country which, in
theory at least, believes in égal-
ité. Being a citizen rather than
a subject is a matter of quiet
satisfaction. A royal visit would
not be a source of universal
celebration, but chacun à son
goût, I suppose.
Richard HIRST, by email
Flamingo spot
I write regarding your online
article about a flamingo spotted
in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay.
Several years ago, when I
owned a sailing boat, I made
the transit from Le Havre to
the Mediterranean. Nearing the
Med, I made the choice to pass
along the Canal du Rhône to
Sète. It was a lovely diversion
and included lots of pink
flamingos, white horses and
fascinating scenery, together
with the fortified town of Aigues-
Mortes. The flamingos were
beautiful; numerous and noisy!
Kevin PERKINS, by email
Ukraine excuse
I am sceptical of supermarkets
using the cost of energy and
the war in Ukraine as a reason
to drastically increase prices.
These shops have enormous
warehouses to store products,
some of which will have been
sitting on the shelves long
before any crisis. I understand
the need to increase prices of
products when imported raw
materials are scarce, but don’t
kid me that a jar of strawberry
jam falls into this category!
Richard FELL, Lot
of young Britons People who rent rather than
own a home with a mortgage
or loan are finding that under
present circumstances current
short of even the modest
figures set by government.
For landlords, the regulations
are a considerable expense.
article on French exiles in
Britain (Connexion, November),
is he aware of one prominent
Frenchman who was exiled to
November’s Connexion highlighted problems British children government policy is throwing Many are selling rather than Britain not once but twice?
and young people in France regularly face due to lack of proof of them to the wolves. bearing the short-term costs. The Duc d’Aumale (1822-
residency status under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. How do I know? I am one of This all means fewer proper- 1897) was the son of King
Perhaps it was because of time restraints, but I suspect this issue them – a painter looking to ties to rent, just as demand for Louis-Philippe and a distin-
was not previously fully considered at an official level. rent in south west France. rental and first-time buyer guished soldier. He was propri-
My wife and I applied for residency status the day the Brexit ref- A lot of attention has been properties was up by 10% etor of several newspapers and
erendum result was announced. At no time during the application given to the impact of rising across France between July and created Musée Condé in the
process was it explained that we would need to obtain a DCEM interest rates on homeowners, September, compared to the Château de Chantilly, which he
(document de circulation pour étranger mineur) for our son, should and we all know the situation is same period last year. owned. Because of his monar-
we ever want to take him out of France. It was only on doing so set to worsen over the coming Buy-to-let landlords will chist links, he was exiled in
that a border officer pointed out that we needed one. months, with energy bills increasingly struggle to pass on 1846 and 1886. Although he
Thankfully, we blagged our way out of – and back into – France. expected to rise. increased mortgage payments missed France, he loved
The application process for a DCEM was online, quick and It is even harder for tenants, to their tenants, which will England and had a good rela-
straightforward. However, it cost €50. forcing more people to turn to constrain supply yet further as tionship with Queen Victoria.
As a footnote, our son is keen to obtain French nationality the communes for support. some landlords feel pressured When he returned to
day that he is old enough to. Personally, I cannot understand why
any ‘British children’ born or raised in France would not want to
President Macron has talked
about rebalancing the property
to exit the market.
Additionally, very few new
Chantilly in 1889, he brought
with him people who could
do the same, for professional, travel or electoral representation market towards more home landlords are filling the gap. develop horse racing in the
purposes, if nothing else. ownership, yet the reverse is This inevitably leads to big town. In 1890 it was estimated
Gary GRANT, Morbihan happening. increases in rents and the one in four of the population of
Why? Covid, the war in likelihood that more tenants Chantilly was English.
Let off steam or share a point Ukraine, inflation, climate will become homeless. He also donated land for the
Share Email: letters@connexionfrance.com or write to:
of view on an aspect of French life change – and Mr Macron’s well
meant but badly thought-out
I say again, people who rent
are finding that in present
construction of an Anglican
church, which still stands.
your The Connexion, Le Grande Bretagne,
30 av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco insulation regulations. circumstances they are being Geoffrey AUCKLAND, by email
The new insulation regula- thrown to the wolves by the
views! Please include your name and department of France
or country where you live. Letters used may be edited
for space and sense; the Editor’s decision is final.
tions are needed in north and
central France, less so in other
government. I do not need a
chateau (although that would Married name
Letters received may be used online and/or in print. regions. A result is that new
home building is falling far
be convenient).
Gordon FRICKERS, by email not accepted
Two-step entry-exit solution I recently received my
French driving licence.
I read with interest the inter-
view with Lord Ricketts about
take place in Calais, where the
old passport booths are.
Tax rises for second homes I had requested it display my
married name, which I
the EU’s Entry-Exit System, due There would also be less I write in response to potential rises in taxes for second-home retained after divorce and
to come into operation in May
(Connexion, November).
excuse for the French to
provide inadequate manning.
owners. In 1981 I bought an abandoned property in the Var. It had
no roof, no floors – just the walls – and no French buyers came
which is used on all my French
documents (carte Vitale etc).
May I assume EU passport Using a two-step process forward when it was put on the market. However when the licence
holders (I have a French pass- opens the possibility of carry- I spent a lot of money rebuilding and extending my new home for arrived it was in my maiden
port) will not have to sign up? ing out registration over a holidays and retirement, and was in debt to it for 20 years. I am name. What’s more, the (mar-
Regarding a solution, I sug- longer period to smooth the retired now and long to live there for extended periods, but I can- ried name) signature from my
gest the existing system of workload. Everyone would not, because of Brexit. UK licence has been trans-
passport examination should have to go through the first Now I see I am to be punished for saving this property from ruin, ferred onto it and has not
be extended so that the first, step, as now. Non-EU passport for investing in France and in my village, shops and restaurants. been well transcribed: ‘Ward’
current step is retained to sep- holders would be directed to I have a very desirable property which, through my own effort, appears as ‘Ivard’.
arate out EU passport holders, the second step only if there many people in the village admire. They thank me for restoring a I have written to ask if this is
and only non-EU passports go was the capacity to photograph pile of stones lain idle since World War Two or potentially longer. acceptable on a legal document
on to the second step of regis- and fingerprint. I am not preventing locals from being housed as many proper- and await a response.
tration. This might mean the If not, they would bypass the ties are empty in the village. I think this practice is dis-
current passport examination second step until the next time I have a few more years to live to enjoy my hard work. Why am I criminatory as a man’s name
could continue in Dover and they entered the EU. going to have to pay more to stay there during my measly 90 days? remains unaffected by marriage.
the second, registration step John MIDDLEDITCH, by email Barry BURTT, by email Chris WARD, Loiret

You said it …
Telegraph claims France has lost control
of its borders and cities are often ‘lawless’
“The poorer parts of Paris are no worse than
most parts of the UK town we originally came
from! Typical journalists deflecting attention
away from the obvious problems in the UK” SB
“Depends which parts you visit. Most cities have a
poor quarter with drug problems and high crime
rate, whereas the rest of the town will be hunky-dory.
It doesn’t mean the whole country is broken” PG
“Paris, for a woman on her own, seems much
less safe in the last few years and has definitely
degenerated. It used to be only certain areas
but it’s becoming more generalised” BC
Nice to rename street in tribute to Queen
“Our commune is naming a temporary roadworks
You can debate and comment on articles via our Facebook page: facebook.com/
TheConnexion. Here is a selection of recent popular subjects... You can find the original
articles at connexionfrance.com
diversion after Liz Truss. Annoying, expensive,
going in the wrong direction and vanishes after
six weeks” AM
“I must admit to being a bit ‘surprised’ every
time I see a Rue Bobby Sands” KL
Vegan restaurant closes a year after
winning Michelin star due to lack of staff
“Until food service staff are treated fairly, this will
continue to be a problem worldwide” CE
“It’s a very odd location for a restaurant to re-
cruit staff – very low population. In Bordeaux
it might have had more possibilities” ITT
“With 7.5% of the workforce looking for a job, I
have to raise an eyebrow at this headline” DL
“I think this is really tragic. Does it suggest
over-generous unemployment benefit?” PS
Health site Doctolib to ban
unregulated wellbeing practitioners
“Given they only list practitioners who pay them
a monthly fee, I wouldn’t ever rely on Doctolib to
find any kind of medical practice. Most real doctors
etc aren’t listed there” PG
“Surely they should exclude all “unregulated”
practitioners?” BS
Leroy Merlin voted favourite DIY shop
“When one opened 40km from me it was like the
start of the 21st century in French DIY – good
products, competitive pricing, but above all real
customer service” DC
“The nearest one is always best given fuel costs!
In this case, Weldom” HT
“They’re still in Russia, making money and sup-
porting the Russian economy, so that Putin can go
on trashing Ukraine. Time for LM to get out” SD
“Can’t understand why. Expensive compared
to others and lousy customer service at most
recent visit. Just not impressed” LS
Time to sell, not buy, property
in France, notaires advise
“Property in France, by and large, doesn’t make
huge profits and isn’t bought with that purpose
in mind. By the time estate agent fees come into
play and the equivalent of stamp duty is paid, the
property is fighting hard before it could be said to
have made a profit. Property in France is bought
with the heart, not the head” MB
“If it is time to sell, who will buy?” PG
 18 Your Questions connexionfrance.com The The
Connexion
Connexion
December
Xxxx 2020
2022

Q& A Can my son born in France

Readers’
questions
answered pass on his UK citizenship?
Send your queries about life here to Liv Rowland AS A British resident in
France, I recently had a son
by email to questions@connexionfrance.com whose mother is French. His
French citizenship is there-

Is it legal to bury a pet in your garden? fore sorted out already, but
the UK government’s rules
on claiming his British
Our cat is part of the family and we follows a template, which states that it citizenship are unclear.
would like to bury her in our garden is forbidden to bury animals less than My understanding is that if
when she is gone. Is this allowed? K.J. 35m from dwellings, wells or other we return to the UK and live

Photo: Shutterstock _ Max_555

water sources.
This is something of a legal grey area. In most areas, therefore, it would appear
There is no legislation that specifically that it is not strictly banned to bury a
bans burying a small pet in your garden. pet if you have a large enough garden,
However, official government burial although it is not recommended as it
information mentions only cremation and might pose a contamination risk to
burial in a pet cemetery as possibilities. other animals and to the environment.
Previous French regulations allowing for If you choose this method, it is often
the burial of pets have been replaced by suggested you should cover the body in
Regulation No 1069/2009 of the European quicklime and bury it at least 1.2m deep.
Parliament and of the Council, which There are, however, areas where this is
stipulates that pets must be disposed of explicitly banned. The Paris health code,
by incineration. for example, states: “It is forbidden, in all
However, the same text authorises places, to bury dead animals; their removal
national lawmakers to introduce is undertaken by a specialised department
exemptions for the burial of pets. of the Préfecture de police.”
The only specific references in French In February, 27 MPs put forward a draft
law are to be found in the Réglement bill which would allow people to be buried
sanitaire départemental. Article 98 of with their pet’s ashes. There are currently
these local health regulations usually no plans for a debate in parliament.
there for three years before
he is 18, then claim his
citizenship, he will be a full
British citizen. However, if I
claim now, living abroad, he
will only have citizenship by
descent and, as such, his Those born abroad to a British parent are often automatically British
own children may not be for citizenship would mean any time, so if your son lives
able to claim British citizen- paying a £1,012 fee, when it in the UK between 2030 and
ship unless born in the UK. might not be necessary. 2033, and has a child in 2050,
Is this correct? W.J. However, you are correct to the child can register to become
say he will not automatically a British citizen.
It is not a question of claiming be able to pass on his British The second possibility is if
your son’s citizenship. He is citizenship to his children. your grandchild lives in the
already a British citizen, as he There are two main ways your UK for three years with their
was born after July 1, 2006, and son’s children will be eligible to parents (again, spending no
has a parent who was a British become British citizens if they more than 270 days abroad).
citizen at the time of birth who wish, as long as they apply The difference is that in the
could pass on their citizenship. before the age of 18. former case they would be
All you need to do is apply If your grandchild is born British by descent and would
for your son’s passport here: outside the UK, but at any point not therefore be able to pass on

Credit card purchase protection tinyurl.com/UKpassportapp.

This can be done now, or
when he is older. It will not
before that your son has spent
three years living in the UK
without spending more than
their citizenship automatically
to their children, which is not
the case if they apply after
IS there anything like the UK’s directives make this possible in certain have any impact on his rights. 270 days outside the country in living in the UK themselves.
section 75 on banks in France? W.S. cases, card issuers such as Visa or Master You can check whether some- that period, then the grandchild They will also be British if
Card will often provide greater guarantees. body is automatically a citizen will be able to register as a they are born in the UK and
There is no direct equivalent to the UK’s ‘Chargeback’ (or in formal French, rétro- here: tinyurl.com/checkcitizen. British citizen. remain there for the first 10
Section 75 consumer protection rules, but facturation) typically covers issues such as This is important, as applying The three years can come at years of their life.
a ‘chargeback’ procedure does exist in products or services which do not arrive or
France, which provides similar protections. are not as described, when a firm has gone
As a reminder, Section 75 of the British
Consumer Credit Act makes credit comp-
bankrupt, and unauthorised payments
(when, for example, a firm uses your
Ask a foreign GP for Can we modify our porch plans
anies jointly liable for any breach of contract
or misrepresentation by a retailer or trader,
details to sign you up to a monthly
subscription when you only made a
a sports certificate without reapplying for permit?
allowing you to make a claim against your one-off purchase). A local walking group is requesting a
credit card company to get your money You can exercise this right by contacting medical certificate. I have a second We have tacit permis- nationale pour l’inform-
back, as long as the transaction was for a your bank with proof and asking it to home in France. Is it possible to ask a sion (a déclaration pré- ation sur le logement
purchase worth more than £100. contact the card issuer. British GP for such a document? P.C. alable) to construct a (Anil), the association
The chargeback procedure similarly These protections are less comprehensive porch over our front that supports the Adil
allows a consumer who has paid by card than Section 75, as the latter is enshrined When a sports club requires members door. The architect didn’t departmental housing
to be reimbursed by their bank or card in UK law and allows for the full costs of to present a medical certificate, this can take into consideration information centres,
provider, if the seller has not respected a good or service to be refunded, even if be issued by a foreign doctor. This is fairly an inspection cover over whether you would need to
their consumer rights. Although European only part has been paid by card. common, as even visitors who wish to a drain, which would be submit a new application.
take part in competitions such as the Paris just inside the porch. It said: “It will depend on
Marathon require a medical certificate. Can we reduce the size the extent of the modifica-
What is the correct abbreviation of ‘Monsieur’? Most GPs will charge for this. UK-based of the porch and alter tions with regard to the
tour operator for cycling and running the porch roof without original project.
Why do some people abbreviate events Sports Tours International said it having to reapply? D.R. “If they are significant, it
Monsieur to Mr? Is it an anglicism has heard figures of up to £150 and not all will be necessary to submit
or accepted usage? O.H. doctors will complete the certificate. If not, It would be advisable a new application.”
Photo: Shutterstock_BreizhAtao

they suggest getting online certificates from to seek legal advice on your If you are only reducing
There are indeed many native French sites such as Sports Medical Certificates, specific circumstances, as the size by a small amount,
speakers who abbreviate Monsieur to Mr, which they say are accepted in France. you might need to reapply this might be acceptable.
when writing an email for example, but The certificate does not need to be in for permission. Most departments have
this is not actually correct usage. French, according to doctors’ body, the When a project requires an Adil information point
The correct abbreviation in French is Conseil National de l’Ordre des Médecins. a permis de construire where legal experts offer
M, or MM in the plural. Is it Mister or Monsieur Bricolage? In a letter to the sports minister in 2007, (planning permission), it free, personalised advice
Mr, of course, is the English abbreviation a bit more confusing if those using Mr try the body’s president wrote: “Strictly from is possible to apply for on the legal and financial
for ‘mister’ – British, as opposed to US, to pluralise it… to Mrs! the Order’s point of view, the certificate revised planning permis- aspects of housing and
usage prefers not to include the full stop The abbreviation Mr is not a completely has no requirements to meet in terms of sion to include changes, planning matters.
in abbreviations such as this where the modern trend in French, however. It was the format (…) or the language it is called a permis modificatif. Yours would be able to
first and last letters are used. commonly used in letters from the 18th written in. The only requirements for the However, there is no such assess your specific case
The error is common – after all, the century, but fell out of fashion before Order are that the first and last name and process for smaller projects in more detail.
chain of DIY stores Mr. Bricolage is making a more recent comeback. professional address of the doctor appear which only require a déclar- You can find details of
pronounced Monsieur Bricolage. One benefit is that it avoids confusion clearly on the document.” ation préalable. your local Adil at: tinyurl.
While most people will not bat an eyelid where M could refer to a first name It should state there is ‘no contraindica- We asked the Agence com/adilmap.
when seeing that store sign, things can get beginning with the letter ‘M’. tion’ to your participating in the sport.

FUTURE QUESTIONS Is there anywhere I can rent an

armchair suitable for a disabled
Do people still celebrate their
‘name day’ in France? Where
Do I need to notify the French
authorities that I now have an
Solar panel contractor keeps
delaying installation after I paid
- SEND IN YOURS... visitor with mobility problems? does the tradition come from? EU (Danish) passport? a deposit. What are my rights?
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 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com Practical 19

Make sense of Duty-free shops John Kitching, a

director of French Law
Consultancy Limited,
answers a reader query

Leaving French property to second wife

Q: I am a resident of France, I
am married to my second wife
and have four children by a
previous marriage. Our home
in France is in my sole name.
I want to leave all my assets
to my present wife. Can this
be done under a régime de la
communauté universelle?
A: The communauté univers-
elle marriage regime can
be used to place French
assets into the marriage re-
gime. These become assets
of the marriage rather than
belonging to either spouse.
On the death of the first
spouse, the marriage ends,
and the surviving spouse
takes those assets.
But as this has the poten-
tial to disinherit children,
the notaire will have to
inform them you are making
this change and they have
the right to object to it.
children from outside the
marriage as here, if their
step-parent inherits, they
have no legal right to inherit
on her death (and if they in-
herit under a will, they face
60% tax). As such, they may
well object to the change.
One way to protect your
wife would be to investigate
possible ways to restructure
the home’s ownership.
Otherwise, you could sell
and buy another, for exam-
ple, making sure it is in both
your names. You could per-
haps take the life interest,
while she has the remaining
legal ownership. Inserting
a tontine clause is another
option, allowing a surviving
partner to take ownership.
However, these all incur
significant fees for a notaire
to carry out the formalities.
Until recently, foreigners
could, by an EU law, opt to

Brexit has brought
the return of duty-free
for France-UK travel
but this does not
always equal savings.
We explain more
EVEN when the UK was
a proud member of the
European Union, duty-free
shops (for non-EU travellers)
were big business for France.
The giant LVMH luxury
goods consortium is a co-
owner of DFS, one of the
world’s largest duty-free
retailers, with 400 locations.
The business is – outside of
pandemics and global econom-
ic crises – one of its cash cows,
reflecting the love people have
for perceived bargains.
Lagardère, another giant
French consortium, also has
a stake in duty-free shops.
Looking at a map of DFS
stores, one point jumps out:
there is only one in Europe, in
Venice; three are in continental
US; and all the rest are in the
Asia-Pacific region.
In part, that reflects the fact
that the EU has open internal
borders with free trade among
its members. ‘Duty-free’ shop-
ping does not apply within the
zone, and there are no specific
limits, in type of goods or value,
when bringing in items for
personal use (as opposed to
resale) within the bloc.
In January 2021, with
Britain leaving the EU, the UK
government announced the
return of duty-free allowances
for travellers bringing goods
in from the EU as one of the
claimed benefits of Brexit.
Travellers leaving the UK can
also buy alcohol and cigarettes
free of UK excise duty in
British duty-free shops in air-
ports and international railway
stations or on ferries. In fact, for people entering by car, train
the UK increased its allowances or coach, which includes people
from what they were before it using the Eurotunnel, Shuttle
joined the single market, allow- and Eurostar trains.
ing travellers coming from the When crossing borders in
EU to bring 42 litres of beer, 18 or out of the EU, attention also
litres of still wine (24 standard has to be paid to rules relating
bottles) and four litres of spiritsto food. For example, you can-
or nine litres of sparkling wine, not take French unpasteurised
fortified wine or other alcoholic cheese to the US.
drinks of less than 22% alcohol. Whether buying duty-free
For smokers, 200 cigarettes,
100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, 250g
goods while travelling is worth-
while is another question: duty-
of pipe tobacco or 200 sticks
of tobacco for electronic heated
free shops might be exempt
from tax but they pay high
tobacco devices are tax-free.
Duty-free limits on other
rents in terminals or shopping
centres and their owners obvi-
goods brought into the UK
were set at £390 for most trav-
ously aim for a profit.
A recent study by the travel
ellers, or £270 for those travel- website Skyscanner found that
ling by boat. If you exceed the spirits in French supermarkets
limits, whether by type of good are usually 25-30% cheaper
or value, you are taxed on the than in duty-free shops, and
whole quantity of the items in chocolates 40%. It found that
question and not just the part only perfume was sometimes
exceeding the limit. For travel- cheaper in duty-free shops,
lers coming to France from giving the example of 90ml
of Burberry perfume
Our main image which cost €98 duty-
was drawn for
free and €115 in
Connexion by French shops.
artist Perry Taylor. Whether or not
For more of something is a good
his work see deal to you will also
www.perrytaylor.fr depend on any
exchange rate changes
and special offers.
outside the EU, duty-free limits Another aspect of duty-free
are the same for tobacco prod- shopping is that some French
ucts but less generous for alco- shops allow non-EU visitors
hol. Only one litre of spirits is to buy ‘touristy’ goods such as
allowed, two litres of wine or clothing and watches VAT-free
drinks of less than 22% strength, or, more usually, with a refund
three litres of wine, or 16 litres to be claimed at the port/air-
of beer. port before check-in on leaving.
If you import more – for In the latter case, the refund
example, you bring 20 litres of still ultimately comes from the
beer from the UK into the EU – retailer, not French customs.
you cannot claim 16 litres duty- This is called la détaxe and
free and four litres with tax. The some ports/airports have special
whole 20 litres will be taxed. terminals for it.
Duty-free limits by value for However, none of this stops
other goods entering France import taxes being potentially
are €430 for air or sea passen- payable on items on arrival in
gers, including the ferry, €300 the destination non-EU country.
Image: perrytaylor.fr
If the children are from leave their estate under
the marriage, French law their home country’s laws
will expect them to inherit if they are more flexible. A
their legal share on the 2021 French inheritance law
For the extra formalities to be second death from their means this is no longer reli-
worthwhile, there has to be a surviving parent, so they able. Watch for updates on
significant benefit from obtain- may consent to the regime. The Connexion’s website as
ing the French VAT discount However, regarding it may face legal challenges.
(20% on most purchases) and
for the goods to be expensive to Call +44 (0) 16 63 74 54 88 for an initial free consultancy.
compensate for the form filling. frenchlawconsultancy.com
In any case, to be applicable,
a purchase on a given day with
a given shop must usually be for
more than €100 including VAT.
The advantages in recent
years have been particularly
Owning a
strong for Asian visitors to
France and many swish Paris
second
stores have dedicated staff to
help customers from places
home in
such as Japan and China.
Britain scrapped VAT-free
France
Owning a second home in France
shopping for tourists after Photo: Shutterstock.com / E. Spek
Brexit, then brought it back,
and then scrapped it again.
How to avoid driving in low-emissions zones
HMRC said that with regard Q: I recently read about a new low-emissions zone in
to declaration and taxes on Rouen. We drive past there on the way to our second
entry, it makes no difference home. Is there a way to be sure we are avoiding it?
if the items were taxed or A: As more and more areas in France implement Zones à
not in the country where they faibles émissions (ZFE – low-emissions zones where only
were purchased or whether you vehicles with specific Crit’Air certificates are allowed), navi-
bought them on the high street
gation apps have begun integrating this information into
or in a duty-free shop. their software. They are now required to provide this infor-
A spokeswoman said they will
mation according to a provision in the 2021 Climate law
just look at the allowances and
which came into effect in August.
tax you, if appropriate, based
on what you paid. Depending When you put your journey into Google Maps, for example,
on category of goods, the UK it will warn you ‘Rouen Low Emission Zone on route’. When
may levy excise duty and/or you click on this, it will display the outer limits of the ZFE.
VAT as well as customs duties The application Waze, meanwhile, will tell you which routes
– though items made in the EU require a Crit’Air sticker when planning your journey, mean-
are usually free of the latter. ing you can select one where it is not needed.
Much the same applies on
entering the US, where the You can add your Crit’Air level to the app by clicking on ‘My
allowance is $800 per traveller. Waze’, then the cog symbol, and selecting ‘Add Crit’Air
There is a lot of folklore sur- pass’, so it will remember which cities you can pass through.
rounding duty free rules – for Note that you can order a Crit’Air certificate from
example, some people say if certificat-air.gouv.fr, whether you live in France or elsewhere.
you buy expensive clothes It costs €3.11, plus €1.40 for international postage.
abroad, wear them and have
them cleaned, they do not have To travel through Rouen, you will need to qualify for a
to be declared at customs if Crit’Air 3 or lower. You can get an idea of which category
you wear them while travelling your car falls into here: certificat-air.gouv.fr/simulation.
home. Others think opened Following your application (usually the same day), you will
bottles of spirits do not count. receive an email confirming your Crit’Air rating with an
However, customs officers image of the sticker which can be used while waiting to
said normal duty-free rules receive the real sticker in the post.
apply to both of these cases.
 20 Language / Finance connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022

Consider Netflix and YouTube Maximising brain benefits

of learning language means
your own 24-hour French tutors more than just listening...
Actively seeking out language she is a teacher and likes
things to be right, she does
learning opportunities should not get hung up on tech-
close the gap between nique in an informal con-
versation. She knows she is
competent French linguists making mistakes, but she
and lacklustre Britons, argues is willing to persist in spite
of them, in the interests of
Nick Inman a good conversation.
Now, you could argue
Photo: Kaspars Grinvalds_shutterstock
by Gillian Harvey mild Alzheimer’s were asked to
complete a number of tests. It
Pushing yourself to learn a was found that although partic-
language could yield a host of ipants who were bilingual were
additional side benefits – as on average 5.71 years older as a
long as you put it into practice cohort, they performed better
in day-to-day life. on the cognitive tests and had
As well as enabling us to “greater brain connectivity”.
get on the phone and sort out Put simply, their more active
an internet problem, or buy brains were better able to com-

“We’re not very good at speaking that if French people (in exactly the right items from a pensate for cognitive decline.
languages,” my French friends tell me all general) speak better hardware store, acquiring Reducing loneliness is
the time when I suggest they practise their English than British people proficiency in French could another benefit of learning
English on me. (in general) speak French, keep us fitter and happier in a language. It is logical that
I hear exactly the same from Britons it is because of exposure to ways we may not realise. if we are unable to speak the
Choose a film you have
struggling to learn French after years of the point of saturation. Studies have shown that language in our country of
already watched and switch
living in France. It is hard for them to regularly speaking two or more residence, we are going to
the language to French
Both nationalities make the same old avoid English because it languages may reduce our communicate less than we

“
excuses: “We weren’t taught well at school. is everywhere, from the internet to fast susceptibility to mental health would otherwise.
It is too difficult for us. The words are food menus. problems, and could even make This can leave us feeling on
impossible to pronounce.” If that is true, all it means is that we Brits us less likely to succumb to the periphery of local life, or
They cannot both be as bad as each other, need to actively go looking for French. cognitive decline and dementia. not quite as connected as we
can they? Is there no hope for any of us? It is not hard to find. You have the perfect So when we are stressing over might wish to be.
Actually, one team is better than the 24-hour teacher in your living room. I our French homework, or won- Those who have an active
other. It is an open and shut case and I I can tell someone who can tell someone who speaks a foreign dering exactly how to conjugate family life and plenty of friends
have proven it countless times. language by asking them one question: a verb, it is worth remembering who speak the same language
Put a typical French person in a room speaks a foreign language do you watch Netflix series in the original that as well as improving our may be surprised to learn that
with a typical British person – I know there
are exceptions to this rule, but they are few
by asking them one language?
If you want to improve your French, all
communication, we are also
doing our brains a favour.
even this may not be enough to
stave off a certain type of lone-
– and they will speak English. question: do you watch you have to do is flop down on your couch “Learning another language liness proven to have a negative
Once, I persuaded my friend Marie-Paule and watch telly. Watch anything at all on has been proven to keep your impact on the brain.
– who insists “Je suis nulle en anglais” (“I
Netflix series in the the French channels. Even adverts are brain more active,” says Aditi Known as ‘trait loneliness’
am hopeless at English”) – to sit down original language? mini-language courses. Go on YouTube, Lahiri, professor of linguistics it occurs when there is a per-
across the tea table from a native English disable your ad blocker and repeat the and fellow of Somerville sistent difference between the
speaker who was temporarily staying in advertising slogans you hear until you College, Oxford. social relationships we have,
our neck of the woods. basic English is easier than basic French. cannot get them out of your head. “As well as benefits that learn- and those we desire.
Etiquette would surely demand that we There is one way of saying “you were” in You do not even have to work hard. Set ing a language has on brain Studies show long-term
all speak French as we were in France, but English but eight in French. But this is whatever you are watching on Netflix to health, the fact that you will loneliness may have a negative
Marie-Paule surprised me. not the whole story. French (even if it is with English subtitles). be able to communicate with impact similar to smoking 15
She produced an entire conversation There are two insights available. One is A good method is to choose a film or others means your brain will cigarettes a day, by increasing
of good English out of nowhere. She still that communication is a function of the series that you have already watched and be more active and engaged for our risk factors.
insists that she cannot speak English, but desire to hear and be heard. put it in French. You know the story so you longer periods of the day.” “Just being passive and listen-
I know differently. I think Marie-Paule, like many people can concentrate on the translation and Bilingual people also scored ing is not good enough,” says
What can be learnt from this in order in south west France, treats the means of pronunciation. The adventures of ’Arry better in a study released by Prof Lahiri. “It is interaction
to improve the linguistic performance of communication as secondary as long as she Pot-ter, ’Ermione and Ron at Poudlard Alzheimer’s Research in 2017, and proper communication
Great Britain? It has to be admitted that can make herself understood. Even though School is an excellent place to start. in which 85 individuals with that are really important.”

Currency planning avoids being a hostage to markets

Keeping your money in sterling or dollars is not good income planning if you live in France living in France already have revenue in sterling,
Money Matters such as pensions. This means that by keeping
capital in sterling, you are continually adding to/
Robert Kent of aggravating the problem of currency risk.
Kentingtons explains.
Income planning
kentingtons.com Living in France and keeping all your money in
sterling is not good income planning. You are
Photo: I MAKE PHOTO 17_shutterstock

A number of weeks before sitting down to sealing your own fate, especially if all of your
write this column, I discussed potential topics income is already in that currency. Events will,
with The Connexion. inevitably, catch up with you.
I learned they were receiving a lot of questions Generally, it is better to think in terms of years
on currency, mainly sterling versus the euro, so and not months. Plan your income for, say, the
we considered this a timely subject to tackle. next three to five years.
“The political and economic situation is a bit In the current climate, some people are deter-
fluid,” we acknowledged – although we had no mined to keep all their capital in sterling.
idea how much more fluid it was going to get. talk, we cannot control the wind, but we can pandemic, war in Europe or that the UK would However, I often point out to clients that a few
At the time, Liz Truss had only been in power adjust the sails. That is to say, regardless of exter- work its way through three prime ministers in years of income may equate to just 10-15% of
a couple of days and was believed to have years nal forces, there are things we can do. Moreover, around as many months? their capital, leaving 85-90% of it alone.
of service (and ‘Trussonomics’) ahead of her. there are common mistakes we can avoid. Sensible financial planning is about keeping This enables them to watch what goes on in
There will be zero crystal ball-gazing here. conjecture to the absolute minimum. the world as a mere spectator to the madness,
Given the recent turnover of British prime Everything on black or red not someone caught up in it, reading the news
ministers, it could be that things have changed I am thinking of how a roulette wheel works, What currency do you spend daily? daily, even hourly, to see what woes might befall
again by the time this article is published. with the punter gambling everything on which If you live in France, buy your food in France them next.
I am not a financial or political prophet, colour the ball will stop on. and pay your taxes in France, chances are that Good financial planning comes from running
channelling my inner Nostradamus. Rather, This is an extremely common way of thinking you do so in euros. It therefore makes sense the numbers, knowing your tax position, under-
my role is that of a guide for sensible long-term when it comes to currency planning. that you ensure access to this currency. standing your income needs and being prepared
financial planning, designed to stay the course, People ask me: “Which currency should I go Please do not misunderstand me. There are, for the next inevitable storm.
no matter what bedlam unfolds next. for, euros or pounds?” They plan to go all-in in some cases, good reasons to keep sterling. Financial planning is not taking a punt on
Many people feel the economics of a situation on one, based not on planning, but a perceived For example, you might have a second home where the market is going, but creating your
are wielded by forces well beyond their control super-human ability to see around corners. in the UK, or pay school fees in sterling. own certainty. You are the captain of this boat!
and, for many British people living in France, Charts and data are great for telling you what This is especially valid if you have no income If you feel you need professional help with this,
currency is one of those areas. However, this is has already happened and might even indicate in pounds. it could be money wisely spent. The rest is then
only true for those who fail to plan. In sailing a trend. However, did they warn anyone of the The thing is, however, that many British people plain sailing.
 French living
Food Wine Homes Gardens Interviews Events FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002

Andrew Birkin on
sister Jane and Serge
rights revolution
Celebrating the achievements
Our pick of of the suffragettes of Paris
festive France
Winter gardens to
visit this month
2 Christmas cheer connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2022

Swap snow for sun to

make merry in magical
Marseille this Christmas
Samantha David encourages us to hit the streets of Marseille to take in the countless cultural
and culinary delights that this sunny, vibrant Provençal city has to offer at Christmas time

T
he southern city of Marseille

Photos: left, HK/OMTCM inset, Mars Production/CRT

is a wonderful winter destina-
tion because, with an average
of 136 hours of sunshine in
December (compared to 77 in
Limoges and 63 in Brest), there is a high
chance of catching some rays. Even if the
mistral is blowing, skies are often blue
and temperatures are mild.
That does not mean sacrificing an iota
of Christmas spirit, however. For on land,
next to the yachts riding at anchor in
the Vieux Port, a wonderful Christmas
market sells toys, sweets, games, foodie
treats, decorations and, of course, tablets
of the celebrated Marseille soap.
Savon de Marseille has been produced
in the city for at least 600 years; the first
documented soap maker appears in the
records in 1370, and by 1913, annual
production had topped 180,000 tons.
Traditionally made from sea water, olive
oil and seaweed ash, it can take up to a
month to make and is reputed to be the
best product for laundering delicate
fabrics. Traditionally it is green, but there
is also a white variety made from palm
or coconut oil. Today, however, there are three tram lines, and riding them all Above: Tradition models of the nativity scene. Gradually clothes, buy organic vegetables, and hang
entire shops devoted to selling savon de from one end to another is a great way dictates that a new they started adding models of all the out in cool artists’ cafés.
Marseille in just about any colour and to orientate yourself. The routes are sim- santon figure should other locals who normally would have Ride the T3 tram and you will find
perfume you can imagine. ple to follow, and outside the rush hours, be added to one’s gone to church at Christmas. The ‘little yourself outside the extraordinary facade
While you’re exploring the Vieux Port, it is easy to find a window seat facing collection every year; saints’ (san touns) became so popular that of the Palais Longchamps. Marvel at the
make any excuse you like to take the tiny forwards. The beauty is that the trams left, anyone for a families began collecting them in order multi-storied infinity fountains and take
pedestrian ‘Ferry Boat’ over from one run through many of the main shopping dessert... or thirteen? to set up ever-larger and more complex some selfies before mounting the graceful
side of the port to the other. The ferries areas, so you can hop off if you see any- crèches at Christmas. Nowadays, it is stairs to the museums inside. There are
run every twenty minutes and cost a thing you want to explore. traditional to buy a new santon every two, the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle and
mere 50 cents for the two-minute jour- Another fun way to get around is on year to add to the family collection. the Musée des Beaux-Arts. But even if you
ney, making them a delightfully gentle an e-scooter. They are widely available in A particularly well-loved local tradition give the museums a miss, you’ll be glad
way to test your sea legs. the city centre, and can be reserved and is the ‘13 desserts’: one each for the you saw the entrance.
Generally speaking, getting around rented (1 euro to unlock them plus twelve apostles plus one for Jesus. The A visit to the Grotte Cosquer is a fabu-
Marseille by car is a night- 15 cents per minute thereaf- desserts include nougat, figs (represent- lous experience even if you normally
mare. Many streets are ter) using an app on your ing Franciscans), almonds (representing have no interest at all in diving or prehis-
closed to traffic and phone. (Download Carmelites), raisins (Dominicans) and toric cave art. The caves, discovered 37m
parking is expensive. before leaving home.) walnuts or hazelnuts (Augustines), fresh underwater by dedicated diver Henri
The best option is to You can leave them and candied fruits, dates, gingerbread, Cosquer in 1985, have been recreated
find a hotel with anywhere, because a chocolate log (bûche) and/or various in detail along with all the artworks on
free parking, and they are fitted with spiced biscuits and cookies according the walls (including three penguins, a

leave the car there
for the duration.
Public transport
passes give unlimit-
ed journeys on buses,
trams, metro and the
aforementioned Ferry
Boat, costing €5.20 for
24 hours and €10.80
for 72 hours.
Combined passes, available from the
Tourist Office, give unlimited transport
plus free entry into a range of tourist
attractions, but to make them worthwhile
you need to plan ahead and be sure of
what you’re actually going to do.
Armed with your transport pass, getting
around Marseille is quick and easy. The
system is clean, regular and reliable and
the maps showing the various routes are
very easy to understand. The city has
GPS devices which
geo-locate them in
real time, and they
are collected every
early evening and
recharged overnight.
Look out for local peo-
ple riding them ‘two up’.
The Santon Fair on the
Canebière, a very long wide shop-
ping street, has been held every
Christmas since 1803. It opens during
the second week of November and runs
until the New Year. The stall holders are
all local craftspeople who hand-make
santons from Provençal clay.
Santons were invented after the closure
of the churches following the French
Revolution in 1789. Denied their tradi-
tional Midnight Mass with a Nativity
play, people in Provence began making
“
to family tradition.
The famous calissons of Aix-en-
Provence are also generally included.
There is no difficulty in buying a
mouth-watering selection. Confisseries
outdo each other to produce traditional
offerings. The only real challenge is
limiting yourself to a mere thirteen
Nowadays, it sugary delights.
Marseille is fantastic for shopping; the
is traditional area around the port has lots of upmarket
boutiques, and the Le Panier district on
to buy a new the hill north of the port is stuffed with
creative workshops. There are several
santon every large modern shopping centres and, if
you are after something a little more
year to add authentic, head to the cosmopolitan and
bohemian Cours Julien, one of the liveli-
to the family est areas of the city both day and night.
Liberally decorated with graffiti, it is a
collection great place to pick through vintage
selection of seals, and dozens of hand
prints) and the reconstruction is abso-
lutely convincing.
You do not need much imagination to
believe you really are in the caves, even
though in reality you are sitting in a
six-seater electric wagon gliding on rails
through replica caves. The real caves are
increasingly submerged due to climate
change, and with each soaking the art-
works dissolve a little more, so eventually
the caves which were inhabited by
humans 27,000 years ago, will be perma-
nently submerged and the original
artworks washed away forever.
Right next door is the sprawling
MUCEM compound containing a whole
host of different museums, exhibitions,
displays, cafés and cultural offerings. If
you decide to do it all, at lunchtime you
can use the raised walkway to cross the
December 2022 I French Living
road into Le Panier, where there are lots
of independent restaurants and bars. You
can get back into MUCEM on the same
day using the same ticket. You could also
take advantage of the loungers on the
roof terrace of the modern J4 building
(the one covered in grey concrete lattice
work) to enjoy a picnic.
Just behind the white Saint-Ferréol
church in the Vieux Port, there is La
Bourse shopping mall, and the rue
d’Aubagne, which boasts Maison
Empereur, the oldest hardware shop in
France. Wander through it and consider
purchasing a string of plastic lemons, an
outsize paella dish, a miniature hammer
or a packet of rat poison. They are used
to people not buying anything.
Wander on up the hill past shops selling
intricately decorated plates, wicker bas-
kets, rush mats, dried fruits and nuts,
spices, joss sticks and kohl. If you get
sore feet, look for a café serving oriental
pastries and mint tea.
Even if you have failed to master the
bus network, at least try the number 83,
which runs from the Grotte Cosquer all
the way round the Vieux Port, and along
the Corniche Kennedy. The road beside
the Mediterranean sometimes even over-
hangs the waves, offering particularly
beautiful views at sunset. Ride the bus
all the way and you will arrive at the Parc
Borély which surrounds the chateau. The
park is a worthwhile destination but do
not miss the chateau if it is open, as it
contains the marvellous Musée des Arts
Décoratifs, de la Faïence et de la Mode.
For a truly educational experience the
Musée d’Histoire de Marseille is excellent.
Even the walk into the entrance is
connexionfrance.com
amazing, as it takes you through what
was once the port. Once inside, view
the videos and listen to the audio guide.
The permanent exhibitions are free.
A visit to the Chateau d’If is also high
on the list of unmissable experiences, and
there is a regular boat service from the
Vieux Port. Immortalised by Alexandre
Dumas in his 1844 novel Le Comte de
Monte-Cristo, it delivers all the gloomy,
ghoulish appeal of a prison fortress. Do
not set your heart on the visit, however,
because in bad weather the boats are not
able to run.
If that happens, you can take the same
boat out to the Iles du Frioul. These
windswept rocky islands offer easy
walks with great views and the tiny port
is fringed with restaurants and bars, two
or three of which are open all year, and it
is a great place to have lunch. Plastic
windbreaks mean it is often even possible
to eat outside, nicely sheltered from the
wind. Ring ahead and book a table,
however, just to make sure you do not
end up stranded and starving.
Marseille is proud to be the birthplace
of pastis, and even if you do not like
aniseed, it would be a shame not to try
it while you are there. Just walk into any
bar. It usually comes neat in a tall glass
with ice and a jug of water on the side so
you can dilute it to your taste. (You can
also order it without ice.) Just add water
until you like the taste. If you really can-
not get used to it, you can ask the bar
staff to turn it into a tomate by adding
a shot of grenadine or, if you are feeling
exceptionally brave, a perroquet, by
adding a shot of mint.
When in Marseille...
Christmas cheer 3
Photo: HK/OMTCM
Aix-en-Provence at Christmas
A stork at the centre for
It is tempting to describe Marseille and
breeding and protection
Aix-en-Provence as twin cities, but in
at Parc de l’Orangerie in
reality they are chalk and cheese. Where
Strasbourg
Marseille is rumbustious and gutsy, Aix is
beautiful and refined. While Marseille
was extensively bombed during WW2,
Aix boasts acres of well-preserved histor-
ic palaces. With a population of around
1.6 million in Greater Marseille, Marseille
vies with Lyon for the title of France’s
second largest city after Paris, but Aix is
content to be home to 150,000 souls.
Aix boasts a number of santon makers,
and visiting their workshops is fascinat-
ing. The Fouque family have been mak-
ing clay santons in Cours Gambetta for
four generations. “They are actually
sculptures,” says Catherine Fouque. “Each
one is hand crafted in clay, and has to be
finished within a few days or the clay
dries out and can’t be worked any
more. Once the first one is
made, we make moulds in
order to reproduce
them. Once they are
fired, the santons are
hand painted in the
workshop. The fig-
ures have different
names and charac-
ters but they are all
portrayed as being
extra good because it’s
Christmas Eve. The
iconic Coup de Mistral
figure is a shepherd strug-
gling to walk into the wind.
It was created back in 1952 and has been
copied by other santon makers, but is our
most iconic creation.”
The story behind it is another romantic
yarn: the wind-blown shepherd is based
on a real person called Jean-Baptiste, who
fell in love with a rich girl called
Renaude. Her father was not overjoyed at
the match, but eventually allowed them
to marry as long as they kept it secret.
Above: Festive The lovers agreed, married in secret and
illuminations retired to the countryside, where they
welcome visitors lived in happy poverty ever after. A sym-
at the entrance bol of their devotion is that JB’s trousers
to Marseille’s are patched with fabric from Renaude’s
santon fair dress. A visit to the shop includes an
explanation of how the santons are made,
plus the chance to watch through the
glass as they are painted in the workshop.
At Christmas, the narrow pedestri-
anised lanes in the old city are packed
with boutiques selling high fashion as
well as the local speciality, calissons.
Tales explaining the origin of these sug-
ary almond-paste lozenges abound. The
most romantic concerns the marriage of
King René d’Anjou with Jeanne de Laval
in 1454. Apparently the bride was so
overcome with gloom during the prepa-
rations for the wedding that she never
once smiled. So the king ordered his chef
to concoct a new dish to put a smile on
his prospective wife’s face.
He produced a plate of dainty almond
flavoured sweetmeats, and at the first
taste, she is reputed to have smiled
broadly and declared in Provençal,
“di calin soun”. (They are hugs.)
Ever since, calissons have been made
in Aix, and nowadays flavours include
lavender, chocolate, raspberry, caramel
and rose. Whether or not you have a
sweet tooth, the beautiful packaging
makes them an irresistible purchase –
and they are one of the traditional
‘thirteen desserts’.
If you love small, sleepy museums,
check out the Musée du Vieil
Aix, which has a modest
collection of puppets
depicting the Nativity
scene, along with an
interesting display
explaining how the
colourful Provençal
prints were devel-
oped. Very close is
the Musée des
Tapisseries, which
also contains scenery
and props from the
opera festival. The tap-
estries are extraordinary
(check out the expressions on
the horses’ faces) and the current tempo-
rary exhibition, about pleating and
folding fabrics, is also fascinating.
If you are looking for elegance, go
to the Caumont Centre d’Art. The café
serves salads and savoury tarts at lunch-
time, as well as cakes all afternoon. There
is a sweet retreat garden out the back, but
the interior is even better. If they have it,
try the raspberry tart.
For a dose of culture and a timewarp
back to the 60s, visit the Fondation
Vasarély, housed in a purpose-built
museum consisting of a series of hexago-
nal ‘cells’ decorated on the exterior with
large black-and-white circles inside
squares. Inside, many of the artworks in
the permanent exhibition were specifical-
ly created for the museum, resulting in
an extraordinarily homogenous display.
The codification of colour, the repeated
geometric shapes, and simplified lines are
redolent of the 1960s futuristic vision.
Photos: Left, Sophie Spiteri; above inset, Samantha David
The Christmas market
and Caumont Centre
d’Art in Aix-en-Provence;
above, the iconic Coup
de Mistral santon scene
4 Rencontre connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2022

‘I studied for my Bac in France,

and travelled to Britain for rowing’
Franco-British rower

Photo: Jeanmi Photographies

Susannah Duncan talks
to Théophile Larcher
about learning to speak
French in France and
rowing in Great Britain

B
orn in London, having studied
and rowed in France and Great
Britain, Susannah Duncan is
the multicultural product of a
British family that settled in
France to offer their children greater
opportunities in life. Aged 25, Ms Duncan
is the eldest daughter of Jonathan and
Anita Duncan.
“We wanted to have a more interesting
life than in the UK. We thought that
growing up in a foreign country would
give our children a better view of the
world,” said Jonathan Duncan, when talk-
ing to us about his daughter’s trajectory.
Susannah is a gold-medal World
Champion in rowing (in 2019 for Great
Britain), and competed at the 2022 World
Rowing Championships at Račice in the
Czech Republic for the French team,
where she finished 15th because of a ‘18 is for the best student, Above and inset, the sport, I was confronted with a rule for As a person with dual nationality,
knee injury. 19 for the teacher, 20 for God’ the award- rowers that jump from the youth to junior have you noticed whether or not
The Connexion spoke with her while she as the saying goes… winning rower, category. This stated that a boat couldn’t British rowers do things differently
was training with France’s national team But how does anyone manage to get a 20? Susannah Duncan have more than a quarter of its members to rowers in France?
ahead of the World Cup. You can’t actually. I understood my French from a foreign country competing. During my first training sessions in Great
childhood only very recently from reading As a British citizen competing alone or Britain, I was often placed at the very end
You were born in London and The Culture Map by Erin Meyer, where with another person, every time I got into of the boats. This position means that you
have won a rowing competition for there is a whole chapter dedicated to a boat, I saw the number climb to 50 or are the one giving orders to your crew
Britain. How did you become French? children from foreign cultures, and which 100%. And the Aiguebelette club was too members. However, I realised that at this
My parents are British. They met in describes the struggle to adapt to French small to have four rowers of the same level stage I did not know any of the English
Chamonix while working for a company schools in particular. to fill the boats. words to command a team.
called Big Foot. They love the mountains My parents were very supportive and My trainer was starting to ask me about My coach went crazy because he did
and always wanted to move back to the always helped me to keep my self-esteem French citizenship. At that stage I felt I not get how I could not understand any
Savoie region. and confidence. had to move to a British club, since I knew of the orders he was giving me from the
The plan was to open a bed and break- I could not participate in French competi- sidelines. Because of this, Great Britain
fast, as most British migrating to France But let’s return to your story… tions as a British citizen, and I couldn’t was hard, to be honest. I even considered
do! My father thought the fastest way to My parents then moved around the acquire French citizenship fast enough to quitting rowing.
move to France was to be hired by an Rhône-Alpes region. I remember that my compete in France.
international company and be sent to mother had had a crush on this house at I spoke to your father and he
France. The plan worked and he landed Aiguebelette, La clairière du Moulin, a So you rowed in Britain while was not too complimentary about
a job in Paris in 2002. house built in 1765 right in Chartreuse continuing to study in France ? how the British clubs treated you…
And there I was, five-year-old me with territory where my parents were renting Yes. I moved to the Tideway Scullers In Exeter, I had joined the British national
my little sister and brother a holiday cottage. School in London, the closest club to U-23 team. And I won a gold medal in
moving to France. I While driving back where my grandparents lived. There I 2019. But when the Covid lockdown was
joined the Bernard home to Paris, my mother could participate in competitions and ordered in the UK, I understood I was not

“
Deniau primary mentioned the house to intensive training sessions while studying where I was supposed to be. I barely knew
school in Feucherolles my father. From the in France. It helped me create a closer anyone in Great Britain, while other row-
(Yvelines), with courses explanation she gave, bond with my grandparents. ers had friends. My boyfriend was in the
twice a week at the my brother, sister and I I studied for my Bac in France and took Netherlands, my family in Savoie.
Lycée international in were wide-eyed with driving lessons, and went to the UK for I decided to spend lockdown in France
Saint-Germain-en-Laye enthusiasm. It was off- rowing competitions. I still don’t under- with my family. When I came back to the
to keep up our English budget, clearly, but from stand how I was capable of doing this! rowing club in France, it was like I had
language education. the look in our eyes, he said I got my Bac and went to Exeter never left. I felt at home.
he had no choice then but to
buy it.
You know, university to study for a BA in
It must have been a Mechanical Engineering. I pursued And you became a French
difficult experience I went to the George Sand I won’t stop my rowing career in the U-23 team citizen shortly after…
in the classroom… high school, where the school for Great Britain. Yes! I officially became French on 30th
I was the only Brit in opened a bilingual class sec- putting milk The only problem was that after Exeter, April, 2021 and my passport was delivered
the classroom. I tion for the first time when I I could not find a postgraduate course and on 28 August, 2021.
remember when I had to come started in 6ème. With my sis- in my tea. a rowing club good enough to keep doing But you know my sister and I had made
to the blackboard, I was so ashamed. ter and brother then joining in the years both things in the same country. And an official request in October 2018. And
I was struggling so much. It was really that followed, the school has maintained I am the Brexit made things harder for me. we weren’t given a meeting until June
complicated. the class ever since. I left for the Netherlands to be a Master’s 2022! The process was accelerated because
Dictations until the Brevet were a living product student in sustainable energy technology I was about to join France’s national team.
hell. I always got zero. Accents such as é, è This is around the time at the Delft University of Technology. So I
or -er, I could not understand anything. that you started rowing? of two returned to my usual routine of rowing in Do you still consider yourself British?
And you know better than I how the While in 5ème, yes. At that time, Great Britain but studying in a completely You know, I won’t stop putting milk in my
French marking system works. everything went really well. As I grew into countries different country. tea. I am the product of two countries.
6 Gardens
Some classic chateaux potagers and
parterres to enjoy during December
Cathy Thompson wraps
up warm and reveals
some of the finest
gardens to visit this
month, from the Loire
Valley to Versailles
D
ecember is the perfect
month to visit and be
inspired by the intricate
shapes and bone structure
of formal gardens, without
the distraction of summer flowers. This
month the fifth anniversary of ‘Christmas
in the Land of the Châteaux’ (www.tou-
raineloirevalley.co.uk/discover/loire-val-
ley-chateaux/christmas-magic-in-the-land-
of-chateaux) promises a Christmas shiver
up the spine, thanks to a thousand lights
and a myriad of giant Christmas trees
boasting over 2,300 ornaments, wild-wood
grottos in the attic and sugar mice galore!
Do visit the most famous potager garden
in the world at the Château of Villandry
(www.chateauvillandry.fr), particularly if
you have only seen it in the summer.
In common with six other Loire valley
chateaux, Villandry opens on only one
December night, Tuesday 28 (until 8pm),
with the gardens around the chateau lit in
celebration of the season. You may not be
lucky enough to see those parterres with
a dusting of snow or frost, but the effect
should be magical all the same.
The grounds are, of course, not the
original Renaissance garden of the chateau
that was built by Jean de Breton, Francis I’s
finance minister, back in the sixteenth
century. It fell to a new owner, Joachim
Carvallo and his American wife Ann
Coleman to restore, between 1908 and
1918, a ‘might-have-been’, fairy-tale
version. Joachim’s assiduous research com-
pared the results of the real archaeological
dig he commissioned in the grounds with
famous contemporary publications and
guides to design for the grandest French
gardens of the period.
Carvallo’s prize was a totally convincing
Renaissance parterre, including the sym-
connexionfrance.com
bolism with which these gardens were Clockwise, from
always imbued – symbolism that would above: Villandry’s
have been a fitting subject for contempla- garden looking
tion when viewing from the windows of splendid with a
the chateau, or while taking gentle noble dusting of snow;
exercise within the broderie of the design. Villandry’s yew
Thus, there are three main symbolic topiary with a
terraces at Villandry: the famous potager touch of frost;
at the lowest level symbolises the body, Joachim Carvallo’s
the Jardin d’ornament symbolises the plan for the garden,
mind and, highest of all, the Jardin d’eau dated 1932
symbolises the soul.
The nine intricately designed squares
of the potager are the ‘point d’orgue’ of
the whole design. One hundred and
twenty thousand vegetables are cultivated
here annually, of which 70,000 are propa-
gated on site. Sadly, very few are ever actu-
ally eaten – it would be too ‘wounding’
to the overall design to actually destroy it
for practicalities.
The pattern is changed twice a year, with
one design persisting from March to July
and the second from July to December.
Henri Carvallo, great-grandson
of Joachim and current owner,
assures me that the ornamental
cabbages, cardoons and leeks of
the late year’s intricate planting
will still be visible from the win-
dows of the chateau in December.
In order to ensure this perfection
on every day of the year, and in a
happy echo of one of the original
purposes of a parterre, M. Carvallo
makes a daily tour of the grounds:
‘It is a good exercise and very
important to check all the details
and note what needs to be correct-
ed... I also do a full tour with the
head gardener once a week.’
The greenhouses are not open
to the public but, I am told, you
can come close enough to press
your nose against the glass and
appreciate the young plants in
spring and early summer. There
is always a potager weekend at the
end of September and it is worth
French Living I December 2022
backlit by the December sun. (Open
Photos courtesy Château de Villandry; FPaillet
9.30am to 5.30pm in December. Gardens
only: adults €7.50, children €5, under-8s
free. Gardens and chateau: adults €12,
children €7, under-8s free.)
Do not become mesmerised by the
acknowledged grand masterpieces of the
Loire valley and miss out on the little gem
that is the Château Gaillard (chateau-
gaillard-amboise.fr). Self-styled ‘the most
Italian of French chateaux’, this was, in
some ways, the fifteenth century blueprint
for all the gardens of Renaissance France
and also the first place in France to wel-
come and acclimatise Italian orange trees.
These ‘Jardins du Roi’ were designed by
an Italian gardener-monk, dragged back
after his Italian campaign by the young
Charles VIII of France. Sometimes called
‘the most famous gardener in Europe’ by
his contemporaries, Dom Pacello da
Mercogliano created a parterre in the man-
ner of a typical Italian garden of the period.
Christmas celebrations in 2022 will fete the
arrival of the orange tree in France and the
first orangery here, created by Dom Pacello
in 1496. (Open every day from 11am to
6pm; adults €14, children €12).
As well as Villandry, six further Loire
valley chateaux hosting Christmas celebra-
tions and displays are open on special eve-
noting that Royal Horticultural Society nings during December until 8 or 9pm: the
members have free entry on certain days châteaux of Chenonceau, Azay-le-Rideau,
in September also (check dates before Amboise, Langeais, the Royal Fortress of
visiting). Chinon and the Royal City of Loches.
The larger topiary specimens are in yew, Check their websites for further details;
a notably problem-free plant, but what, I all bookings can be made online.
wonder, has the garden done to control the
infestations of box tree moth caterpillar on Away from the Loire Valley, visit the
the 52 kilometres of box plants in situ? Potager du Roi at Versailles (www.potager-
M. Carvallo says: ‘We follow closely the du-roi.fr/site/potager) to enjoy the elegant
caterpillars and have noticed that the forms created for maximising fruit produc-
number has decreased in the last five years.’ tion in the ornamental potager, a horticul-
As a control, in common with most other tural art perfected by the French.
gardens, Villandry now sprays infestations This is an art form only truly visible in
with Bacillus thuringiensis. winter and at Versailles’ Potager du Roi
It is just as well that there are 10 garden- you can admire and appreciate the tradi-
ers, backed up by an apprentice and interns tional shapes of pruned fruit that date
during the growing season, since the clip- back as far as the eighteenth century.
ping of those box – accomplished twice It will not surprise you to learn that the
yearly – takes 300 hours. French revolutionised this horticultural art
Meanwhile, elsewhere, higher on the by inventing the secateur in the nineteenth
terraces, the red stems of 1,016 lime trees century, allowing more precise cuts on
pruned hard annually may convert you to softer wood. (Open Tuesday to Friday in
the peculiarly French practice of pollard- December, 10am to 6pm; Saturdays, 10 to
ing, particularly if their joyful colour is 1pm, €3 from November to March.)
 December 2022 I French Living
Garden digest
Watch the birdies
There are various ways to lend a helping
hand to our feathered friends during
winter no matter what kind of garden/
outdoor space you have, from placing
a standing feeder in your garden to
hanging one on your balcony or wall
mounting one. Placing them in full view
of a window allows an enjoyable spot of
birdwatching.
It is important to remember to remove
them or stop filling them up with food by
the end of March to avoid dependency.
There are many designs and styles
available in all leading garden centres,
from traditional wooden ones to steel.
There are also “multi-station” feeders
such as the one pictured above (with
an optional anti-squirrel dome), priced
from €44.95, fr.jardins-animes.com.
Gardening jobs for December
Harvest time in December can produce a
groaning plateful come Christmas lunch,
so gather your crops of parsnips, leeks,
winter cabbages and the all-important
Brussels sprouts just before you need them.
Now is also the time to trim back apple
and pear trees as well blackcurrants, goose-
berries, redcurrants and whitecurrants.
A tree is not just for (one) Christmas
Environmentally conscious alternatives to
a one-use, cut sapin (Christmas tree) that
can be used year after year – such as this
one in new plywood made from non-
polluting and non-toxic materials from
monsapindenoelecolo.fr – are increasingly
popular, and the contemporary designs
are stylish. What’s more, the company
offsets the impact of the production and
shipping of each Christmas tree by plant-
ing 25 trees. 120cm tall, from €149.
Photo: monsapindenoelecolo.fr
connexionfrance.com
Photo: Jardins Animés
Photos courtesy of Morel Cyclamen/E. Ulzega
The Christmas gift of cyclamen
Cathy Thompson reports on a French breeder whose plants are winter hardy
Insta-jardins French garden diary
A
Instagram is a brilliant
place to enjoy other bedding scheme of
people’s gardens in Cyclamen persicum in
France, with everyone bold reds or pastel colours
from visitors to chambre is something I can only
d’hôtes owners posting fantasise about, although
seasonal snaps and I expect that there are a few of you read-
quirky updates from ing this who are actually able to live
their gardens (users can the dream.
search using the hashtag I would not be without garden-hardy,
#jardins, #monjardin small-flowered C. hederifolium or C.
or #jardinage). coum in my autumn or spring garden, of
Another magnificent course, but this flashier species from the
homegrown harvest Middle East and Greek Islands would be
from guillaume_du_ well beyond my gardening repertoire
potager_permacole – here, since they normally tolerate tem-
this time, walnuts (noix). peratures no lower than 5 or 10°C.
Right? Not quite... enter a talented
modern breeder, seed merchant and
grower (of which we have more than a
few in France). Specifically, a modern
breeder here to persuade you that, yes,
you could put cyclamen in your Paris
window box for Christmas – or even
use it as a bedding plant further south.
Cyclamen were first introduced to
France in the sixteenth century, but
Morel Diffusion (www.cyclamen.com),
based in Fréjus in the Var, have only
been going since 1919.
Their story provides an interesting
reflexion on changing fashions, however,
since whereas their initial breeding focus
was on creating plants with flowers as
large as possible, nowadays they concen-
trate on miniatures, with their best
known being the miniature ‘Metis’
or ‘Smartiz’ series.
Since they send seed and young plants
all over the world, a key aim has always
been to please a plethora of different
markets. Hence, fringed flowers are
bred with an eye on the German market,
where they are most popular, while the
Dutch like compact plants that work
perfectly with their rolling Danish
trolley systems.
Their breeding programmes have simi-
larly run the gamut from concentration
on heat resistance (very important to the
Italian market where, it seems, cyclamen
are more popular than anywhere else in
Europe) – through to ranges which
will tolerate cold weather.
Morel say that the smaller types – such
as their ‘Midi’ series – tend to be more
heat-resistant, since they transpire less,
while the cold-tolerant types will tend to
have larger flowers and can be tolerant
of frost down to about -2°C. If frost does
hit your plants, the tubers should be able
to cope for a couple of days, but you
should remove any flowers that have
been damaged by the weather.
If you are planting outdoors or in a
window box, Morel recommend you
plant them at the end of August north
of the Loire and up until mid-October
in the south. For both situations it seems
they would recommend the ‘Metis’
range amongst miniatures, or the larger
flowered ‘Latinia’ or ‘Halios’ types. Make
sure you plant away from wind and the
heaviest rain and ensure that the plants
stay dry for the first three weeks after
going into the ground. The cooler the
temperature, the less you should think
of watering them.
It seems to me that this is a
pretty expensive bedding
plant! Perhaps it’s fortu-
nate that I don’t have the
choice and am forced to
grow my Cyclamen persi-
cum indoors. I do, how-
ever, try not to treat them
as another ‘throwaway’
houseplant and they are, in
fact, easier to accommodate
throughout the year than many
“
Morel recommend
you plant them at the
end of August north
of the Loire and up
until mid-October
in the south
Gardening 7
Main image: Morel Metis
® Rouge vif compact;
inset, below, Morel Metis
® Rouge ecarlate decora
other Christmas season houseplants,
such as poinsettia.
Think of their origins: rocky, fairly
mountainous, scrubby areas, over
1,000m above sea level. That translates
into strong, but filtered light and water
that drains rapidly away from the tuber.
When you water, always do so around
the edge of the pot with a long-spouted
watering can, topping up what you’ve
offered over a period of a few hours if
the plant is quite dry.
Alternatively sit the plant in a saucer
of water to absorb from below, but never
for longer than about 15 minutes. Never
allow the top of the tuber to remain wet
for more than a few minutes.
These exotic-looking little strangers
are much tougher than us, but won’t
enjoy the heat that we relish, so are best
in a very cool dining room at about
10°C, or in a frost-free conservatory. If it
is a place you heat up to 25°C for a large
Christmas family gathering – tant pis,
your cyclamen will put up with it for
one day!
Well after Christmas – probably
into March – your Christmas
cyclamen’s leaves will start to
yellow. Carefully pull them
away by twisting slightly at
the base, stop watering,
and put the plant in cool
place for the summer – the
tuber should be well above
the soil level and maintained
dry during this dormancy period.
In September or October your plant
should start to produce a few small
leaves again and only then do you
recommence watering.
If you are lucky enough to have a plant
that produces one of the beautifully
coiled little seed pods, harvest your seed
when the spring-like stalk is fully furled
in on itself. When you sow, cover with
vermiculate to regulate fluctuations in
moisture level.
I would love to hear from you if you
have experience growing Cyclamen per-
sicum, particularly if you’ve tried it in
the open garden. Don’t forget to tell me
where you live and what your average
winter minimum temperature is!
Email: editor@connexionfrance.com
8 Interview connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2022

‘It’s sort of a family album

Photographer Andrew
Birkin talks to Théophile
Larcher about choosing
to stay in the shadow of
his superstar sister, and
about his new book of
from my point of view’
photographs that reveals
intimate family moments
of one of France’s most
iconic couples

A
ndrew Birkin is the
photographer behind a
new publication, Serge
Gainsbourg et Jane Birkin :
l’album de famille intime,
filled with 900 intimate family portraits,
with one of France’s most iconic couples at
its heart. Andrew Birkin brings more than
just his photographer’s eye to the book.
The intimacy laid bare throughout the
pages also comes from the fact that Mr
Birkin had complete autonomy over the
design when telling the behind-the-
scenes story of his sister Jane’s relation-
ship with Serge Gainsbourg. This was not
the case with his first book, Jane & Serge,
a Family album, released in 2013, when
the publishing company Taschen deter-
mined how the pictures were laid out.
Birkin’s new book also displays prints of
negatives as they might appear in a photo
album stored in a cabinet, something that
Millennials and Gen Z-ers no longer do.
“It’s a sort of family album from my
point of view. I used it as a way of giving
it to Jane with a ribbon on it,” he told
The Connexion. Behind the camera is a
solitary man who in his own words “does set plan. I went through the pictures and Has going through so many You accept it as it happens. It’s not like
not need people.” He lives in a remote chose the ones I liked the best. pictures helped you to better she was another person suddenly. The
cabin in the Llŷn Peninsula in North It is a bit like Japanese art and zen arts of understand your sister, Gainsbourg, thing with her becoming a French icon
Wales and is used to orbiting around a flower arrangement, when you go out and their relationship, France...? was a gradual process. It did not happen
sister very different to him, despite being pick loads of different flowers and then I can see, of course, a side of Serge that overnight. So you take it step by step.
born 370 days apart from each other. you come back and go “boom boom boom was rather different from his public per- Also, her fame was not particularly
The Connexion spoke with Mr Birkin boom” and there’s your flower arrange- sona. In other words the Gainsbarre he unusual to me, as my mother and first
about his new book, his relationship with ment. It’s the same with photographs. was supposedly going for. girlfriend were actresses. I was used to it.
and understanding of French people and In public he came across as a little bit I prefer to be behind the camera rather
France after seeing his sister become a Did you have them all stored more stylish and mystical, whereas in than in front of it. I was quite happy with
cultural icon. somewhere? Did you comb these photographs I see the Serge I that relationship.
He also talks about how shared grief through boxes from specific remember, somebody much warmer,
could turn into a collaborative artistic years, or even decades? funnier, more spontaneous, less worried What is your understanding
project: Mr Birkin lost his son Anno in a I always had a 5mm, and had them about his image. of France from having been
car accident in Milan in 2001, while Ms stored in negative sheets, and quite around that stardom, and what

“
Birkin lost her daughter Kate in 2013. a lot were still in the order that I had kept The photos span your relationship have you learned about France from
back in the days when I was still taking with the couple, but also your sister, being the person behind the camera?
You have already published a book photographs. through most of your life. Is this a France has been like a second home to
about the relationship between Nowadays, of course, you do not way to show artistically that she has me. Although it’s nothing compared with
Jane Birkin and Serge need this kind of system. always been around you, despite her what Jane has experienced, it was the
Gainsbourg. What Everything is digital and living and performing in France? first foreign country I lived in, and
was the motivation so it’s done differently. Not really. I did not have an ulterior French is the only other language I can
behind this It’s interesting motive. It’s simply a family album taken speak. A bit. I really got to know France,
second book?
I wanted to do one
because if digital
photography had
Of course the from my point of view as a gift for Jane. and the French people, when I went on
my search for Napoleon.
with many more
photographs in
been around back
when I took these
French are a What is that point of view?
I can’t really analyse what I see in it Is it true that you read 88 books
sequences, not just
single pictures.
family photos of
Jane and Serge, I
little bit more beyond “there it is.” It’s a bit like when
people ask film directors what they
about the subject in a matter of
six months?
Now, it is more
through series of
would have taken
many more photo-
passionate wanted to say in their movie.
Herman Bergman said it best: “I don’t
That’s right. But I also went to places
where Napoleon lived or visited. I don’t
four, six or 12 pho- graphs than I did,
because digital does
than the Brits, have anything to say other than what’s in believe in stereotypes. I don’t feel like
Italians, Spanish or Germans are different
tos. That’s what I did. the movie.” It’s for other people to see
The first book had not cost as much, but but I don’t things that I perhaps have not seen. from one another. You always find a third
about a hundred photo- then the flipside is that I of people voting for the left, a third for
graphs, and this one has nearly would probably also have got- know why they What is it like for a brother to the centre and a third for the right.
a thousand, and gives a much fuller ten rid of many of them, which you observe the life of a sister who has Of course the French are a little bit
picture of their relationship. can later regret. At that time, with nega- embraced become an icon in French culture? more passionate than the Brits, but I
tives, you could not get rid of individual You go with the flow. I have never don’t know why the French embraced
Tell me a little bit more shots. You had to keep the mistakes, the Jane and her thought of Jane as being anyone other Jane and her relationship with Serge.
about your creative process? bad ones, but also some that just did not than my sister. I have nothing to compare I mean there was the Je t’aime moi non
How did you choose the pictures? seem so interesting. Fifty years on, they relationship it to. I have a sister five years younger plus song, but generally the English have
I just did it by instinct, you know. There’s acquire a certain quality and aspect that than me, but we don’t have the same a much closer relationship with America
no other way of doing it. There is not a you did not see at the time. with Serge connection because of the age difference. when it comes to music.
December 2022 I French Living
Do you know John Lennon’s quote:
“French rock is like British wine...
Disgusting” ?
I would not agree. Serge was not really
rock and roll anyway. I would say that
most French music tends to look more
for a sentimental side. But that’s not
really fair because Americans also have
middle-of-the-road sentimental songs.
Serge is more romantic. I’m thinking
of Melody Nelson, for instance. Most
English people that I know love Melody
Nelson because it’s a unique song.
Have you ever considered venturing
into music, having already published
photography books, written screen-
plays and directed movies?
If I had a second life I would invest more
energy in music. I never had the time to
devote to it, even as a hobby, because I
always worked. The time that I had was
used to practice, practice and practice.
I do not think I have ever been bored,
actually! (laughs.)
You mentioned that France was
your second home. Have you ever
had a second home in France?
I bought a house for my first wife in
Normandy. I used to go there occasion-
ally. Of course I went to see Jane in
Brittany from time to time, and
Charlotte in the South. But I have two
young children here in Wales and they
have to go to school every morning and
I have to pick them up.
From what I have read about your
Welsh house, it’s really remote…
Yes. No neighbours. You only hear the
sea. You know that’s what I wanted to
say about being different from Jane. I
don’t need people, whereas I feel she
needs them, she likes to be loved. I think
that is the key for performers, to need to
be loved. I have never had that need.
You have both suffered the
tragedy of losing a child. Has
this brought you closer together?
Yes. Jane was very present when Anno
was killed in 2001. She was more than a
companion, she shared the grief. When
her daughter Kate died, I tried to be as
supportive to her, but she dealt with it in
a different way. She was really quite
numb and I could not get close to her.
She has expressed that grief through
her songs. It’s not something that you
talked about. Was it suicide or an acci-
dent? I tend to think it was an accident.
Kate still smoked at the time, and my
assumption is that she fell because she
was smoking out of the window at
dinner time and leaned out so that the
smoke would not go back into the room
where her stepchildren were eating.
Whatever happened, it does not
remove the grief.
Have you considered a new
artistic collaboration with Jane?
I’d love to do something with Jane and
vice versa, I think. The timing is prob-
lematic partly because of children and
working on other projects. I have a feel-
ing that we will do something at some
point. Will it involve grief? Everybody
deals with it in their own way…
Maybe it will involve your
relationship with France?
It could well do. I feel closer to France,
mainly because of Brexit, one of the
worst things that has happened in my
lifetime. When we joined the EU, it was
the best moment of my life.
connexionfrance.com Green news 9
Photos: Andrew Birkin
Main photo: Pixabay (stock photo)
Locals invest in solar power
with guaranteed returns
Compagnie de Phalsbourg
Green news
Savers get a 5% return on investment
A gigantic solar power (photovoltaïque)
park called La Clé des champs (The key
of the fields), has opened in the town of
Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison, Haute-
Loire, with many local residents investing
in its construction.
In order to attract them, a return on
investment of 5% was guaranteed, and
the subscriber target was soon reached.
“The subscription was completed in a
couple of weeks,” said François Palmier,
project manager. “We raised €850,000 pupils, teachers and ancillary staff all
in the local area.” This was around 40% playing their part. Among their top tips
of the capital required to get the project for saving water, was to have canteen staff
under way. install a barrel to collect the water left at
Left, left inset, and In total, just over 150 eco-investors the table in carafes. This water was then
above; intimate from the wider Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes used to give the school chickens a drink
portraits of France’s region invested, 48% of whom live in the or to water its green spaces.
favourite celebrity Haute-Loire department, The school took initiatives via the Energic
family, all of which “This project is a response to the energy application, a nationwide campaign to
appear in Andrew crisis and allows us to inject energy that encourage workplaces, schools and individ-
Birkin’s new book can quickly be put into service on the uals to make ecological steps in their daily
“
power grid. Annually, this park will con- lives (energic.io, French only).
tribute 10% of the energy needs of the
agglomeration of Puy-en-Velay, or the
equivalent of the energy consumption of
about 5,600 French households per year,”
M. Palmier added.
Rum route sailing boat is recycled
One of the participants at this year’s Canteen staff
Route du Rhum (Rum Route) sin-
gle-handed sailing race between Saint installed a barrel
Malo in Brittany and Pointe-à-Pitre in
Guadeloupe, took part using a completely to collect the water
reconditioned, ecologically crafted boat
called Use it Again!. left at the table
Romain Pilliard, competing in the race
– which takes place every four years, with in the carafes
the current record standing at seven and
a half days – for the second time, said Toulouse tower still on the drawing board
before the race began that his intention Residents in Toulouse are not holding
was never to win: “I’m not looking for their breath in anticipation of the pro-
first place, which has a high ecological posed La Tour Occitanie skyscraper
cost,” he told francetvinfo. (called a gratte-ciel in France, pictured
The boat is the former trimaran of above) being built any time soon.
English sailor Ellen MacArthur. “This Compagnie de Phalsbourg won the
boat was unfortunately abandoned for tender to build the 38-storey, 153-metre-
a few years and we decided to give it a high tower on the city’s former postal
second life,” he explained. sorting site (right next to Toulouse-
The boat has three means of producing Matabiau SNCF station), and Toulouse
green electricity: solar panels, a wind tur- City Council issued a building permit
bine and a hydro generator, plus a wind in July 2019.
generator, also reconditioned. However, ongoing legal appeals by
opponents of the project, including local
Energy-saving school rewarded residents and ecological associations,
A school in Yonne, Burgundy has been mean that any decision regarding its
awarded a national trophy for its energy go-ahead will not be made until the
savings over the last five years, with end of next summer at the earliest.
10 Nature
Serpents need not be the enemy
Jonathan Kemp wants us
to make snakes welcome
M
ost people, myself includ-
ed, have a deep-seated
phobia about snakes
(French: serpent).
This must be a primal
response from archaic times when venom-
ous snakes were common in places where
human beings lived; reinforced, perhaps,
by the portrayal in the Bible of the duplici-
tous tempter in the garden of Eden.
Needless to say this is no longer relevant
in modern day Europe. We rarely even see
a snake, let alone get bitten by one.
I have a friend, Daniel Guérineau, a
herpetologist, who for most of his life has
been working with snakes and reptiles.
He started out more than fifty years ago
working with his brother collecting wild
European adders (Vipère aspic) to send
off to the Institute Pasteur in Paris.
At the time he lived with his family in
the Vendée, and snakes were easily found;
sometimes they could collect sixty in a
weekend. They packed them into a wood-
en crate, and sent their mother off on her
Solex bicycle on the three kilometre trip to
the local station with the crate behind her
– a little reluctantly he says, and the rail-
way personnel weren’t too keen either on
this cargo of angry snakes.
He tells a wonderful story of the time he
had collected nearly one hundred adders,
leaving them in the crate ready for trans-
port – and some got out, slithering off all
around his parent’s garden, much to their...
delight? His father made him recapture
them, and actually he found more than
the twenty that had escaped, which just
goes to show how abundant they were.
This was the first step in the process of
preparation of medical anti-venom serum
to be kept in reserve for emergencies.
At that time, the early 1960s, vipers
were considered a dangerous animal that
should be eliminated, so they were milked
for their venom and then destroyed.
This didn’t sit well with Daniel, so he
changed the method by capturing the
vipers himself and extracting their venom
immediately, then releasing them, and
selling the venom to the laboratories.
At the end of the 1960’s agricultural
Bringing your dog to the office lowers stress and improves workplace communication
Samantha David
L
uring people back to the
office could be ramped
up in Paris with an offer
to allow dogs at work. The
idea follows the example set
in Suresnes (Hauts-de-Seine) where
more than a dozen dogs accompany
their owners to work in various
administrative departments of the
town where there is no contact with
the public.
“It didn’t just come out of nowhere,”
says Béatrice de Lavalette, the director
of HR at Suresnes. “It’s part of a pro-
gramme I started in 2008 to improve
productivity by improving working
conditions. We have improved gender
parity across the services and we also
ensure that at least 10% of the staff we
connexionfrance.com
A Green Whip snake
(Couleuvre verte et jaune)
swallowing a mouse prey
policy led to the destruction of hedgerows,
and snake populations plunged as a result.
These days Daniel spends a lot of time
designing and helping to build snake and
lizard ‘hotels’ (Abri pour les reptiles) in
people’s gardens (including mine) or suita-
ble natural habitats. There are farmers
who welcome an increase in a natural
predator that can limit the damage that
can be done to crops or vegetables in mar-
ket gardens, by various rodents – above
all the common vole (Campagnol des
champs), as well to simply mitigate the
dramatic loss in snake populations.
The idea behind snake hotels is definite-
ly not to allow you to try to capture them.
Even apparently ‘harmless’ species like the
Green Whip snake does have a gland that
is now classified as a primitive venom
gland. So don’t corner them, or let your
dog or cat harass them – though most
dogs have a healthy respect for snakes.
The ‘hotels’ are there to simply observe
these animals from a respectful distance.
If, however, you are unfortunate enough
to be bitten by a viper, Daniel says get
yourself to an anti-poison clinic or hospi-
tal as serums these days are much refined
and work well. There are many factors
(above all the quantity of venom that the
snake injected into your body, where it
entered your body, and its toxicity) that
determine its danger. Do not panic, he
says, it is rare that a viper bite is fatal.
The construction of the shelters has mul-
tiple functions. Firstly, thermoregulation;
snakes, and lizards, are ectotherms – they
need external heat sources to warm up if
it’s cold, and shelter in cooler places if it is
too hot. Bathing on the heat-absorbing
stones early in the morning will stimulate
bodily activity so that they can hunt, and
then help them to digest food they have
employ are disabled. We have already
signed 25 agreements to put all this
in place, including projects like the
provision of sports and keep fit
opportunities during the day. It’s
innovative and you won’t find it
elsewhere in France.”
The scheme has been running since
September 2020 and Mme Lavalette
brings her own dog to work every
day. “When people first suggested it,
I began working with unions, doctors,
psychologists, and researched studies
that show it breaks stress, lowers
blood pressure, and improves
communications between workers.
It benefits everyone.”
She says that multiple American
studies show that with pets in the
office, people work more efficiently,
absenteeism reduces, and work satis-
faction increases. “When you pet an
animal your heart rate goes down.”
After Covid, many people are look-
ing to re-balance their lives, and try
French Living I December 2022
swallowed. Ideally snakes function best at
a temperature of 20 to 30°C. With the heat
ing live young. The timing of birthing
varies, but generally it’s early summer,
absorbing slates of a shelter it avoids them although sometimes early autumn.
seeking other dark (and so warm) surfaces Having decided to create favourable
– roads for instance. conditions for these fascinating animals in
Secondly, in winter they will need shel- your garden, you need to choose a warm
ter from the cold and so move into under- sunny spot in the garden, and if possible
ground chambers, and sleep for long peri- near water. Dig a trench in the soil one to
ods. It is not actually a state of hibernation two metres long as this will provide the
that some warm-blooded animals adopt deep winter sheltering places, and access
to get through the winter period, which can be kept open by placing hollow bricks
entails dramatic changes to the metabo- and tiles down in the trench – these do
lism (slowing heart rate, reduced breath- not need to be new tiles, broken ones will
ing, body temperature dropping). do, as long as they have open cavities as
With cold blooded reptiles there is a entrances leading to resting places.
very similar state to hibernation called How deep the trench needs to be
‘brumation’. However, as the body temper- depends a little on your soil condition;
ature is reliant on the external ambient but as in the photo, sixty to seventy
temperature if a warm snap comes along, centimetres is a good average.
they will wake up and hunt for their food: All photos are donated by Fédération
rodents, lizards and frogs. Aude Claire, a local naturalist association;
Thirdly, many snakes are oviparous (egg for further advice and a printed leaflet in
laying), and need a suitably warm place French or English follow the link below.
so the eggs can hatch undisturbed; sand, Next month I will show the common
and composts are ideal for this. An excep- snakes and lizards found in France.
tion are vipers which are viviparous, birth- www.audeclaire.org
How to create the perfect
environment for snakes
“
Bricks in the base trench. Next cover Then it is necessary to add a layer of
the bricks with substantial stones, in sand as a nest site. Using a piece of
order to bring the level back up to the geotextile felt, this can be spread over
ground surface, making sure that you the central area of the shelter and
Agricultural leave plenty of holes then the sand will not fall through and
block up all the holes. This will serve
policy led to as a nesting area.
the destruc-
tion of
hedgerows,
and snake
populations Finally, cover with more stones, with the top ones dark coloured in order to
plunged absorb heat from the sun.
to retain some of the benefits of
working from home and re-evaluating Béatrice de Lavalette and
their lives at work. “Offering pet her four footed workmate
friendly working conditions really
helps us recruit,” says Béatrice de
Lavalette. “People have even asked to
be transferred to us, because they
want to bring their dogs to work too!”
She does not believe, however, that
every animal or type of dog is a suita-
ble workplace companion. “We’re
not talking about badly-trained,
aggressive dogs or banned breeds.
In theory we allow dogs, cats and fish
but in practice people bring their dogs
to work.
Photo: Ville Suresnes
“The animals must be clean,
chipped, vaccinated, treated against
fleas, and everyone in that area of
the office must be in agreement.”
She explains that in Suresnes an
agreement about having animals at sector yet. Other administrations desire to allow dogs in the office has
work has been reached with the which are considering the idea already been registered, and talks are
unions, but that this hasn’t happened include Grenoble and Nice. In the on-going to sign an agreement with
with any other unions in the public 5th arrondissement of Paris, a formal the unions.
 December 2022 I French Living connexionfrance.com Cultural digest/Trending 11
From Versailles to vintage pop

Photo: Benjamin Farcinade; below: Thomas Wallyn

A round up of the arts and culture stories creating a buzz in France
1. Marie-Antoinette reimagined
Following in the footsteps of its popular,
if very racy and, for many, historically
questionable, series Versailles, subscrip-
tion channel Canal+ has unveiled its
latest dramatisation of life in the French
royal court with Marie-Antoinette.
The Franco-British production features
the brilliant Russian-born German
ably be taking life easy. Not so the sing-
er-songwriter Hugues Aufray, currently
on a nationwide tour in which he is
performing in churches and cathedrals.
Aufray says he prefers the intimacy of
small venues: “When you sing in front
of 10, 20, 30, 40,000 people, you don’t
see anyone, whereas here, I see the
people, they are in front of me. It’s a
marvellous way of sharing,”

1
he told francetvinfo.
Aufray is best known for his
covers of Bob Dylan songs as
well as for smash hit songs such
as the sea shanty-inspired
Santiano from the 1960s.

4. Baker on the big screen

A major new biopic of the
dancer, actress and WW2
Resistance helper Josephine
How longe-côte is taking great
Baker will go into production
strides as a competitive sport
Photo: Canal+

next year, helmed by French-

actress Emilia Schüle as the former
Archduchess of Austria, then Dauphine
of France and finally the last Queen
before the Revolution as the wife of
Louis XVI.
Filmed in Versailles and Fontainebleau
Senegalese film-maker
Maïmouna Doucouré.
The film will trace the life of Baker Théophile Larcher reveals how the simple sea wading activity went from
from St. Louis in the United States to
Paris, and then to the Périgord, at the
a health-giving exercise to a recognised sport in France and beyond
Château des Milandes where she lived
for more than thirty years.
#trending
3
Photo: Hugues Aufray/Facebook

with a budget of €23million and with
dialogue in English, the first of three
expected seasons portrays the decade
from 1770 to 1780, as the 14-year-old
princess struggles to adjust to life at
the treachery-laden court of Versailles.
2. Back to the Eighties
Readers nostalgic for the 1980s will enjoy
the new exhibition, Années 80, on at the
Musée des Arts Décoratifs until April 6,
2023. The colourful displays reveal how
the fields of fashion, design and graphics
both shaped and traced the decade in
France, from the election of François
Mitterrand in 1981 to the fall of the
Berlin Wall in 1989.
Using pieces by fashion designers
such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry
Mugler, as well as spotlights on advertis-
ing and other audiovisual sectors which
enjoyed a golden age, the curator Adrien
Rovero has picked three themes to guide
visitors through the decade: a new politi-
cal and cultural era; the effervescence
of design and the looks of the 80s.
3. Pop goes the pensioner
Most of us, should we be lucky enough
to live to the ripe old age of 93, will prob-
L
onge-côte, known as sea wading in English,
has taken French coasts by storm.
Invented in 2005 by Thomas Wallyn, a
professional rowing teacher in northern
France, it involves walking several hundred
metres into the sea with the water up to your chest
and was initially meant as a muscular method to
train rowers.
But its popularity travelled onto southern coasts as
well, where throngs of retirees and younger people
found it to be a cheerful activity.
Within a matter of years the sport had its own feder-
ation organising competitive events, the 7th French
longe-côte championship having attracted 585 partici-
pants. “The phenomenon is real,” said Mr Wallyn, who
named the sport after he went “along the coast” (longe-
côte in French) looking for a technique to implement
5. Heart of glass in rowing in Dunkerque (Hauts-de-France.)
The spectacular Cité du Vitrail stained He was joined by friends and created the first
glass museum in Troyes (Aube) opens French club there, adding that he did not expect it
on December 17th. billed as a “vast sci- to become so popular.
entific, cultural, educational and tourism Longe-côte requires a full wetsuit and is only done
project inviting visitors to discover and on shores with small to moderate tides. Most sessions
experience a rich world of emotion”, it last an hour in which people move by bringing water
showcases the art’s stylistic changes from to their sides to create movement. It is open to all
the Middle Ages to today, with antique ages and genders.
and contemporary, secular and religious, It is roundly praised for its health benefits, since the
figurative and abstract pieces. activity is very gentle on tendons and joints, unlike
sports on terra firma. It was also proven – like other
improve the activity. Companies such as Decathlon
have also taken on the trend with videos presenting
the activity, while Mr Wallyn has developed – with
the help of medical professionals – a patented longe-
up, a specially-designed flipper for arms.
LongeTeam06 offers three types of lessons: Leisure,
Health and Competition. Because, of course, it
was only a matter of time before it explored a
competitive element.
Regional and national competitions have mush-
roomed around the country including 50 metres,
200 metres, 400 metres or one kilometre distances,
individual or in pairs. People aged from 12 to 70
and over are listed among eight categories.
French longe-côte events took part in
Leffrinckoucke (Nord, 2015), Erquy (Côtes-d’Armor,
2016), Marignane (Bouches-du-Rhône, 2017),
Sables d’Olonne (Pays de la Loire, 2018), Barcarès
(Pyrénées-Orientales, 2019) and Hyères (Var, 2021.)
Benjamin Farcinade and Romain Leray are two
of the best athletes representing France, with both

5
Photo: Ste Geneviève by Jacques Le Chevallier, 1937,/Cité du Vitrail

water activities – to be good for lymphatic drainage.
“It is driven by a lot of health benefits but it also
takes your mind away and helps to reappropriate the
sea,” said Mr Wallyn, who refuses to characterise the
sport as only “people walking in the sea” but rather
“a real sporting activity” that “compares with swim-
ming.” It was only a matter of time before other clubs
joined in and popped up. Longe-côte now has clubs
around France, mainly in the north and south.
“I do a one hour-session every day,” said Valérie
Pascallon, president of longeTeam06 association in
having participated in the first European competition
in Spain in September (the sport took off in other
European countries such as Spain and Italy and in
lakes around Bavaria).
Longe Cote UK, the UK’s first Longe Cote group,
is located on Gyllyngvase beach in Falmouth. Other
longe-côte clubs have reported to The Connexion of
some British citizens looking for clubs in France.
“I now just hope Americans will take on the sport,”
said Mr Wallyn.

“
Vallauris (Alpes-Maritimes) and a trained triathlete
and keen skier. Ms Pascallon said she was introduced
to the activity by a friend at a nearby club before she
created her own club in 2019.
The club expects more than 200 people to join for
the next season, with more than 25 already having
enrolled by September when we spoke. Just 30 people People move by bringing
in total had enrolled in 2019, another testament to
the activity’s growing popularity. water to their sides to
The number of clubs has motivated Mr Wallyn to
unite them under a federation that was eventually create movement. It
included as part of the Fédération française de ran-
donnée (FFR) – France’s hiking federation. is open to all ages
Ms Pascallon is currently training to become a per-
sonal coach, as part of a policy by the FFR to better and genders
12 Recipes
Surprisingly simple gâtea
In her new pâtisserie cookbook, award–winning American food
writer Aleksandra Crapanzano explores how Parisians shop and bake
Here she offers baking insight and tips as well as two great recipes
I
have written a dessert column for the Wall Street
Journal for close to a dozen years, and so it is no
wonder, I suppose, that I want both to debunk the
great myth that Parisians return home after work and
whip up a batch of impossibly delicate macarons or,
say, layer a millefeuille, and also to shine a spotlight on the
brilliance of French home baking because the classics are, in
fact, brilliant. Many of the recipes in this book date back, in
some form or another, hundreds of years, some even to the
Middle Ages. They’ve stood the test of time because they are
inratable – foolproof.
Whenever I return to France, one of the things that imme-
diately calms me in some inexplicably profound way is the
immediacy of the French connection to their history. They
are simply less wowed by novelty and more interested in eat-
ing what they know and love, and they appreciate it being
made well and with skill. This is true throughout the coun-
try but, in Paris, there is a playful irreverence mixed in, and
an ease with pivoting and changing things up. Paris is where
home cooks and chefs alike borrow confidently from all
regions of the country and, for that matter, the world.
Outside of Paris, France remains deeply differentiated by
region. Identity is still profoundly linked to the land. And
the gifts of the land, region to region, are notably different –
from the Agen prunes grown in the Aquitaine to the wal-
nuts of Périgord and Grenoble; from the apple orchards of
Normandy to the golden mirabelle plums of the Lorraine;
from the great lavender fields of Provence to the spicy
piment d’Espelette of the Pyrénées. Nearly every French
person I know has a kind of agricultural map of France
imprinted on their minds. And Paris – in drawing the
young from every corner of the country – has, for centuries,
adopted the best of these regional specialties.
Needless to say, shopping for food in the French capital is
taken very seriously indeed. All the same, Parisians love
shortcuts. Walk into, say, La Grande Epicerie de Paris, the
great gourmet supermarket in the seventh arrondissement,
and you will see shoppers buying prepared puff pastry and
Gâteau au Yaourt à la Farine d’Amande (yoghurt cake)
Almond flour has been a pantry staple in Paris for as long as anyone can remember. It happens to be less expensive than it is
here (USA) and, perhaps because of the turnover, usually quite fresh. In the States, it’s still seen primarily as an alternative to
flour for people with gluten sensitivity or for the health conscious, who like it for its protein content. Almond flour provides
texture and taste, and it keeps a cake
moist, as almonds are naturally high in fat.
It’s for this reason that I use less oil than in
an all-flour yoghurt cake.
The downside is that almond flour cakes
don’t rise quite as high. Made with equal
portions of flour and almond flour, how-
ever, lets you capture the best of both
worlds. This cake is light, tender and
moist and lasts for days. Like the classic
yoghurt cake, it plays well with spices,
extracts, liqueurs, syrups and floral
waters. Here I’ve added sliced almonds
to the top, for crunch.
Ingredients
2 large eggs, at room temperature
245g whole yoghurt
200g granulated sugar
24cl vegetable, canola or grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 teaspoons
dark rum
1 teaspoon orange blossom water, optional
the zest of a lemon or orange
210g almond flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt
125g all-purpose flour
36g sliced almonds, optional
connexionfrance.com French Living
freshly ground almond flour, not to mention jars of exqui-
site fruit suspended in sugar syrup and tender frangipane
still a touch warm from the mixer.
You will find dried fruit of every variety, and orange rind
crystallized, candied and dipped in chocolate. And you
will encounter a multitude of sugars, from raw to rock,
from the lightest of powders to the moist grittiness of a
dark Demerara. Inspiration is never far.
Why cake, you might ask? Although Marie Antoinette
didn’t actually bark, “Let them eat cake,” the French do
have a thing for cakes. Even madeleines, financiers and
bouchons are all considered little gâteaux, as are nut tortes,
savory cakes and celebratory bûches de Noël. A French
cake will, by and large, have less sugar, as nuance is prized
over sweetness. A bit of salt will bloom the flavours. A cup
of yogurt might add a moist backstage tang. Vanilla is
used sparingly. The pure taste of apples is rarely masked by
cinnamon. And the pucker of a lemon cake is not under-
mined by a thick blanket of frosting. Chocolate is most
always dark and bittersweet. Gluten-free cakes abound but
are rarely named as such. They simply reflect an apprecia-
tion for nuts, toasted and ground, in baking. Parisians tend
to be avid tea drinkers. Think of Mariage-Frères, Palais des
Thés and the teas of Fauchon and Hediard.
Simple after-dinner infusions of verbena or mint perfume
many a cake. Parisians are highly likely, when baking, to
reach for a handy bottle of Calvados, Armagnac, Cognac,
eau-de-vie, Poire Williams or crème de cassis and to add a
splash – more to impart a depth of flavour than an overt hit
of booze. Rose water and orange blossom water add deli-
cate floral notes, as do the buds of chamomile and lavender.
The French sometimes macerate fresh fruit in a little lefto-
ver white wine to serve alongside a slice of cake, but crème
fraîche is more or less de rigueur. A cake may be lightly
glazed or dusted with cocoa or confectioners’ sugar, but
rarely heavily iced. These modest cakes have a timeless,
understated elegance. No wonder they are classic.
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350oF (180oC). Butter and flour
a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, or a longer French loaf pan,
or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs,
yogurt, sugar, oil, almond extract, orange blossom
water and zest until smooth. Add the almond flour,
baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk
thoroughly until completely smooth. Sprinkle the
flour onto the batter and fold it in with a rubber
spatula until no streaks of flour remain.
Extract from Gâteau, 3. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, then sprinkle
The Surprising Simplicity the top with the sliced almonds, scattering them
of French Cakes by over the entire surface.
Aleksandra Crapanzano 4. Bake for 40- 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted
Published by Simon in the centre of the cake comes out clean. (If your
& Schuster oven runs hot, start checking after 35 minutes.)
I December 2022 connexionfrance.com Food notes 13

aux

Main photos: Royal-Monceau-Raffles-Paris/ Geraldine Martens inset: Brdep2/Wikimedia

Gâteau Concorde
Concorde Chocolate Meringue and Mousse Cake

The changing face of festive

1. Chocolate meringue disks for a Dacquoise
Ingredients
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
bûches for the fines bouches
In our series chronicling lesser-known foodie tales,
200g granulated sugar we look at how the French get their just desserts at Xmas
50g almond flour
25grams unsweetened In Britain many plump for stodgy Christ-
Dutch processed cocoa mas pudding for 'afters'; in France, they
Food notes

I
have the mythical bûche de Noël, the yule
Method log that arrives à table to much swooning,
1. Put two oven racks equidistant from the top and bottom of the oven and preheat t could be argued that Christmas and such is its attractiveness. Even the most
the oven to 225°F (110oC). Line two 18 x 13-inch baking sheets with parchment New Year, more than any other time basic of chocolate logs with its snowy, icing
paper. Trace three 8-inch circles on the parchment at least 3 inches apart. Two of the year, is when the French truly sugar dusting, is appealing, and yet modern
circles will be on one sheet and the third on the other. Flip the parchment ink show every other 'wannabee' foodie French bûche making is constantly evolving
side down, then liberally butter the top side. nation up when it comes to prepar- – to cater the finest of fines bouches.
2. In a stand mixer or using handheld electric beaters, combine the egg whites, ing and serving a meal worthy of The images above are not of
cream of tartar, and salt and beat on medium speed until fine bubbles form. the party season. some kind of brutalist architec-
Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks form. With Not for them some lumpy tural model, but this year's
the mixer running, gradually add the sugar and whip until the meringue is gravy drizzled over dry bûche from chef Quentin
stiff and shiny, but not dry – for another 2–3 minutes. turkey breast with a few Lechat, the starry pâtissier
3. In a small bowl, mix together the almond flour and cocoa powder. Sprinkle choux de Bruxelles on the at the cake shop at the
half of the mixture over the egg whites and, using a rubber spatula, fold to side, like some of some glitzy hotel, Le Royal
integrate. Repeat with the rest of the cocoa mixture, folding just until combined. kind of punishment plan Monceau - Raffles Paris.
Scrape the bottom of the bowl to catch and integrate any stray streaks of almond for naughty children. Five elegantly poised bars
flour. Au contraire, all across the of goodness, including ton-
4. Using a piping bag or a small offset spatula, fill the circles with the mixture. Hexagon during the last cou- ka, tarte Tatin, chocolate and
5. Bake for 3-3 ½ hours, or until the meringues are firm to the touch. Turn off the ple of weeks of December, most cranberry ensure richness and
oven, but don’t remove the meringues. Leave them in the closed oven for at least shoppers get their fine dining ingre- delicacy in perfect tandem.
6 hours and up to 12. dients on order: maybe a dozen oysters, But wait! If you dare not embrace such
the best foie gras they can find and afford, pricey fanciness (€110 to serve 8), just go
2. Whipped Chocolate (Mousse-Like) Ganache Champagne aplenty, a rich array of goodies to Alsace, where they enjoy a festive pud
for a groaning cheeseboard and, of course, quite like the British model: Beerawecka
Ingredients a dessert (or 13 if you live in Provence) to is the local speciality featuring dried and
50cl double cream and 280 grams dark chocolate, ie. Valrhona Caraïbe 66% cacao round things off in sweet style. candied fruits, plus spices in a bread dough.

Method
1. Bring 20cl of the cream to a boil and immediately pour over the chocolate.
Allow the chocolate to melt for a minute, then whisk to create a smooth
Gadget inspector Now available
ganache. Set aside to come to room temperature. This shouldn’t take more
than about 10 minutes. If it gets too cold, it will start to solidify, which you
don’t want. If that happens, warm it up just a tiny bit—just enough that it
stirs easily.
2. In a stand mixer or using handheld electric beaters, whip the remaining
cream until you see soft, but structured, peaks. Stir a third of this whipped
cream into the ganache to lighten it, then fold the remaining ganache into
the whipped cream with a rubber spatula. Use immediately.

3. Chocolate curls
Making chocolate curls is too time-consuming to do at home. Instead, I like to
use a mandoline to cut fine slices of chocolate off a bar. These shards are more,
shall we say, industrial-chic than delicate, but let’s not get precious about it.
Use at least 200 grams of dark chocolate if you want to cover the entire cake Sapin-shaped tool for a Huiley nice gift set brings
and still allow everyone to sneak a few shards before dinner. Alternatively, cracking Christmas the flavours of Provence
dust the cake with cocoa, then confectioners’ sugar.
A popular ballet to enjoy over the festive What do you get the foodie for Christmas
Assembly season is Tchaikovsky's Casse-Noisette when they already have every imaginable
1. Take 3 Chocolate Meringue Disks for a Dacquoise, as above (The Nutcracker) but you can have your gadget? A comestible de haute qualité,
2. Lay the chocolate meringue disks on a sheet of parchment. Cover each own nut-cracking fun in the kitchen or of course – the kind of above-standard
with a third of the ganache. Then stack them, one on top of the other, on during the cheese course, with this super produce that they might otherwise not
your cake plate. The surface will be ganache. Christmas-centric designer gadget. splash out on. With that in mind, why not
3. Scatter this with an abundance of chocolate curls or shards. More commonly called a casse-noix in offer Maison Bremond's festive oils gift set,
4. Create a tented dome with aluminium foil over – but not touching – the France (ie. walnut-cracker as opposed containing a bottle of 15-year-old balsamic
cake and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours and up to two days. Let it sit at to noisette, hazelnut), this €27.90-priced vinegar (250ml), and"Bastide Neuve"
room temperature for about 20-30 minutes to allow the ganache to soften beauty comes from German designer Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Christmas
a bit before bringing it to the table. Jan Philippi and is available from French Edition (500ml) plus gift wrapping. €32.90.
online outlets including www.connox.fr www.mb-1830.com
14 Crémant
The sparkling wine for savvy consumers
During the holiday
season, why not opt
for Crémant fizzies?
They are delicious
and a wallet-friendly
alternative to
Champagne, says
Patrice Bertrand
T
he market for Crémant de
Bourgogne hasn’t stopped
growing for the last twenty
years. “Of course, there was
Covid, which didn’t help us,
but now business is very good again.
So much so that we don’t have enough
grapes to meet demand.”
From his office in the emblematic town
of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Marcel Combes,
Director of Maison Louis Bouillot, one
of the main producers of Crémant de
Bourgogne, is undoubtedly not the only
one delighted by the enormous success
that Crémant sparkling wines are enjoying
in France and abroad.
With their fine bubbles, their glistening
colour and their taste quite similar to
Champagne, these sparkling wines, pro-
duced in eight regions of France, have
succeeded in carving out a comfortable
niche for themselves between Italian
proseccos and Champagnes, thanks to
their excellent price-quality ratio. For
the holiday season, consider them!
After a severe downturn in 2020, sales
of French crémants set an all-time record
last year with 96.6 million bottles sold,
“
compared to 90 million in 2019. Sales
The basic grapes
required – chardonnay
and pinot noir – are four
times cheaper than
those in Champagne
could reach 100 million bottles this year –
compared to 300 million bottles of cham-
pagne sold annually – but it is difficult to
predict accurately, as 35% to 40% of annu-
al sales take place just before the holiday
season, in November and December.
“The international sparkling wine mar-
ket is divided between five big players:
Champagnes, crémants, which
are increasingly more well-
known, proseccos, Spanish
cavas and sparkling wines,”
explains M. Combes. “I
think the current craze for
crémant is because when
you buy a crémant, you
make a ‘smart purchase’.
“Crémant buyers, whom I
call ‘savvy’ consumers, are shop-
pers looking for new discoveries and
bargains. The ‘traditional method’ guaran-
tees a relatively serious wine style and, in
the case of Burgundy crémants, the basic
grapes required – chardonnay and pinot
connexionfrance.com
noir – are almost four times cheaper than
those in Champagne. In addition to offer-
ing a very high-quality product, the price is
attractive: between €8 and €10 per bottle in
supermarkets and between €10 and €15 in
wine shops. Crémants are therefore some-
where between Champagne and prosecco,
with a more serious side lacking in prosec-
co; more of a festive and easy wine.”
Produced in Alsace, Burgundy, the Loire,
Limoux, Jura, Bordeaux, Die and Savoie,
French crémants, all protected by a PDO
since 1975, are close cousins of
Champagne, whose production technique
they share: the “méthode traditionnelle”
(“traditional method”), formerly known
as the “méthode champenoise”.
Complex and costly, it consists of
transforming still wine into sparkling
wine with a second fermentation by
adding yeast at the time of bottling,
which converts sugar in the grape must
into alcohol and produces carbon dioxide.
The result: sparkling white or rosé wines,
often exquisite, originating from a wide
variety of terroirs which, at a reasonable
price, can be enjoyed as an aperitif or with
an entire meal.
Note that the word “crémant” is original-
ly a Champagne term for Champagne
whose second fermentation, which
gives rise to the famous bubbles, was
not completely successful. “Crémant de
Champagne”, whose production was aban-
doned in 1990, was therefore something
between sweet sparkling wine and
failed champagne. Hence its
nickname of “poor man’s
Champagne”, whose insipid
taste was sometimes hid-
den by adding crème
de cassis.
Today, this bad reputa-
tion has disappeared and
it’s common to find crémant
bottles that have been aged
for several years before sale, the
equivalent of vintage Champagne.
Among the vast choice of crémants, the
Burgundies, which represent only 20% of
production, are among the most famous,
along with Crémants d’Alsace.
French Living I December 2022
Champagne must be made from chardon-
Main photo: Studio Morfaux; below: JLBernuy; inset: Pauline Turmel
nay, pinot meunier or pinot noir, whereas
Riesling is the most common grape for
Crémant d’Alsace and cabernet-franc for
crémant from the Bordeaux region.
For Crémant de Bourgogne, the grape
varieties authorised by the appellation’s
specifications are chardonnay, pinot noir,
gamay and aligoté. “Gamay brings an
extra touch of fruity freshness to our
blends and added pizzazz to our rosé
crémants,” explains Frédéric Brand, the
oenologist at Maison Louis Bouillot. “As
for aligoté, it allows us to obtain wines
with exotic notes and minerality.”
Beware: not all crémants, whose inter-
ests are represented by the Fédération
Nationale des Producteurs et Élaborateurs
de Crémant (FNPEC), are equal. Some
producers use lesser quality grapes than
those used for their still wines and make
mediocre crémants.
Others, on the contrary, take great care
in grape selection, vinification and ageing.
“But you must realise that the materials
and equipment needed to make crémant
are expensive,” says M. Combes. “To pro-
duce crémant, the entry fee is high and
not all small winemakers make it because
they don’t necessarily have the equipment.
“To equip oneself to make 20,000 bottles
isn’t profitable. In Burgundy, there are
between 2,500 and 3,000 winegrowers
but only 250 to 300 crémant producers
Above, Maison Produced since the beginning of the – one in ten.”
Louis Bouillot in nineteenth century, with the localities of Indeed, it is this vast network of wine-
Nuits-Saint-George Nuits-Saint-Georges and Rully as histori- growers which, in part, weighs on the
is one of the leading cal cradles, their appellation area extends price of grapes and therefore, on the price
producers of crémant over the departments of Yonne, Côte- of the bottle. “In the last twelve months,
de Bourgogne; below d’Or, Rhône and Saône-et-Loire and they prices for pinot noir and chardonnay
right, bottling, or represent 10% of Burgundy vineyards. grapes have risen significantly due to a
“embouteillage”; Now present in fine restaurants, they poor harvest,” says M. Combes.
inset, left, crémant benefit from special classification for “So, in terms of raw material we find
wines are made the best vintages: “Eminent” for minimum ourselves under some pressure. We, as
using the same ageing of 24 months and “Grand Eminent” producers of Crémant de Bourgogne,
production technique for ageing of more than 36 months. will have to increase our prices to be
“méthode tradition- Last year, Burgundy crémants per- able to pay more for grapes and align
nelle” as Champagne formed even better than other production ourselves with prices charged by those
regions: 23.3 million bottles sold, making still burgundies.”
an increase of 20.4% compared to 2020 The conclusion is inevitable: “For
and an increase of over 15% in exports. Burgundy crémants, I think that, in the
Maison Louis Bouillot has, of course,
benefitted from this trend. Founded in
coming years, the €10 mark will be passed
in supermarkets,” says M. Combes. “But
1877 and specialising in crémants, offer-
ing eighteen different styles, it put 3.6 mil-
going beyond these prices will be a bit
complicated since other regions such as
lion bottles on the market last year and
sales continue to grow. “It’s not an explod-
the Loire, Alsace or Bordeaux continue to
pay less for their grapes and will therefore
ing market but it’s more than stable with
slight growth,” says M. Combes.
be able to stay below €10.”
He adds: “Thankfully, we are lucky to
“Compared to other crémants, we’re
propelled by the great appellations of
be Burgundians. Burgundy is a magical
name. For us, the solution isn’t to fight
Burgundy, the premiers crus, the grands on price against the Loire or Bordeaux
crus and we can show that we make crémants. It’s to make quality. When you
great crémants.” drink our crémants, I want you to find in
In addition to differences in the them the elegance of Burgundy chardon-
vinification method, crémants differ nay, the finesse and structure of Burgundy
from Champagnes in the use of a broader pinot noir. I want you to taste Burgundy,
range of grape varieties varying by region. not Champagne.”
December 2022 I French Living connexionfrance.com Wine and Cheese 15

Photos courtesy of Moulin des Monts

French wines fit for a Christmas feast
Vigneron Jonathan Hesford reveals how to perfectly pair wines for each festive course

Images: Pixabay/planet_fox;
Cheese of
Meet the producers the month:

B
ritish couple David and Tracey Truffled Tomme
Fenner grow micro-greens,
which are baby leaves, at the
Photo: www.lacremerieroyale.fr

Moulin des Monts in Vayres

(Haute-Vienne). “We original-
ly bought the mill in 2020 to start a
no-dig, perma-culture, market garden
but we then discovered that we needed
permission to change the use of the
property,” explains Tracey. “Realising
that it would take ages, we decided to As a luxurious treat over
make a start with micro-greens.” Christmas, many French
They produce a wide variety: Arugula cheeseboards feature a
rocket, sunflower, red kohlrabi, pea truffled cheese, usually
shoots, broccoli raab, coriander, daikon Brie de Meaux or even
radish, red giant mustard, mizuna red Neufchâtel sliced in
frills, crimson clover and dozens more. half and slathered with
“Instead of growing in a polytunnel, we mascarpone and black
turned one of the rooms in the house truffle flecks.
(it’s quite large) into a growing room,” A less rich and more Therefore I would restrict Champagne, little character. Even the best Burgundy
says Tracey. subtle alternative is a or any of the better value alternative producers will have much lighter wines
A year in the vineyard

C
The couple were inspired by a video tomme de Berry, made sparkling wines, to drinking on its in cool years than in warm ones.
they found online, although they had with raw cow’s milk in own. Whether that is to welcome France also produces medium-bodied
known about micro-greens for some the Val de Loire. hoosing wine to serve over guests popping in or to start off a red wines in many other reputable
time. “We decided it was a good compro- Not only is it great after Christmas and New Year is boozy Christmas day with a cheeky regions. Loire reds such as Chinon can
mise while we were waiting for permis- dessert but it is also deli- particularly stressful because morning glass of bubbly... be perfect for Christmas lunch as they
sion for a polytunnel, but it’s worked out cious cut into small cubes we often choose this time to Let’s start with the classic Christmas tend to be a bit fruitier and crisper than
really well.” They launched the business and served as an apéro push the boat out a bit and dinner of roast Turkey with roast pota- Bordeaux. Another alternative would be
in February 2022. accompaniment to a flute have special wines. However, choosing toes, carrots and sprouts served with all a good Côtes-du-Rhône.
“Our main clients are restaurant chefs. of Champagne. wine to go with dishes that are particular the trimmings like bread sauce, sage and Salmon is popular Christmas fare. A
They are already familiar with micro- Some tomme producers to this time of the year makes getting the onion stuffing, apple and/or cranberry whole poached salmon would be best
greens, and some of them had been even go for some colour right match a bit difficult. sauce. Straight away you can see that served with a white wine that has some
importing them from Holland. So they by adding olive, pesto Wine marketing people latched onto there are loads of different flavours there character. Buttery Chardonnay from
were happy to have a local producer, and or tomato though most this situation years ago and tried to so choosing a perfect wine is tricky. It’s Burgundy or Mâcon is a perfect choice
now we’re working with lots of different traditional cheese fans encourage people to buy their expensive worth noting that turkey is not a par- but why not try white Bordeaux, prefer-
restaurants, and are beginning to sell would probably steer clear. wines to match classic Christmas dishes ticularly strong-flavoured meat. ably an oak-fermented one.
direct to the general public.”
She says lots of British people in the
Local speciality: but often those wines were not the best
match and left people feeling a bit
Therefore it’s best to choose a
light to medium bodied red,
In recent years the
Languedoc-Roussillon has
area know about micro-greens, and they Lobster disappointed. especially if you eat it at made massive improve-
are gradually building awareness of their
nutritional benefits and versatility. “We
bisque I’m going to try to suggest some
better matches that move away from
lunchtime. I am generally
quite traditional and
ments in white wine
production and excel-
supply them to a few local shops, and the expensive classics. choose a mature Bordeaux lent examples can be
we run sampling sessions.” It’s worth noting that what French or Burgundy. By mature, found from reputable
From planting the seeds to harvesting people eat over the Christmas period I mean not younger than estates from around €10
Photo: Bien Manger

the leaves takes only ten days from start can be quite different to classic British six years because I don’t up to €30. With smoked
to finish. They either harvest by cutting foods. As this is an English-language believe that those wines salmon, the flavour and
and packing the micro-greens in clam- paper, I’m going to try to focus on display their attractive oiliness require something
shell containers which have seven days’ British Christmas food. characters as young wines. different. I quite like an aromatic
shelf life in a fridge, or they can supply Champagne is often associated with However, if you are going to serve Alsace wine made from Riesling or
trays of living plants, which can be used Christmas but I would argue that is that 20-year-old bottle that you’ve been Gewürztraminer but the best ever com-
as they are needed. If you have neither the because it is a celebration drink, rather saving for the occasion, make sure you bination I have had was a barrel-aged
“At the moment we are open on Friday time, inclination or than a great match for the dishes. open it with enough time to decant it Pinot noir.

“
afternoons for people to collect their culinary skills to craft a and check that it’s OK. Have an alterna- Christmas pudding is the perfect food
orders, but eventually we would like to rich lobster bisque for tive bottle on hand in case it is corked to try one of the Vin Doux Naturel
open a farm shop on the premises. A nice your Réveillon menu, or too old. wines from the Roussillon. My top
part of what we do is talking to chefs and there really is no shame Bordeaux is a huge winemaking region choices would be Banyuls Tradition
tasting recipes they devise using micro- in buying a ready-to-heat with over 6,000 chateaux and prices or Maury, served slightly chilled.
greens as a main ingredient instead of version, as long as you ranging from a few euros to over €1,000. These, along with other sweet fortified
just as a garnish. Who knew that choco- check for quality. The cheaper wines can be lean and a bit wines, are great with mince pies too.
late would go so well with red clover?”
https://fr.moulindesmonts.com
Maison Sauveterre’s Burgundy is seen rough and some of the top wines take
years to reach their peak.
You can finish off the bottle later with
some classic British cheeses like Stilton
version of the fish soup
with blue lobster, vegeta- as a minefield for Burgundy is seen as a minefield for and Cheddar, perhaps served with a
bles, herbs and a splash consumers because there are lots of slice of Christmas cake.
of cognac, is a deep, dark consumers because poor wines masquerading as grands
orange colour, and offers vins. Producers are often more impor- Jonathan Hesford has a Postgraduate
the requisite smooth there are lots of poor tant than appellations. So stick to a Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology from
texture that such a luxury producer you know and trust. Lincoln University, New Zealand and is
starter requires. €4.75 for wines masquerading In both Bordeaux and Burgundy, the owner, vigneron and winemaker of
a 780cl jar, available from vintage is important. Poor years can Domaine Treloar in the Roussillon.
www.bienmanger.com as grands vins produce a lot of thin, acidic wine with www.domainetreloar.com
16 Interiors connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2022

Ski hotels “just like home, but better!”

The key elements for

Photos by Francis Amiand

customer pleasure in
upmarket Alpine ski
hotels are comfort
and natural materials,
as showcased in these
two stunners, designed
by Chantal Peyrat

F
lexibility in her approach and
a commitment to the client
brief are clearly credentials that
serve interiors architect Chantal
Peyrat well – for evidence, just
browse her design studio’s ever growing
list of haut de gamme clients seeking her
design touch for a hotel, spa, restaurant
or casino renovation or new-build.
There is the très chic Hôtel Barrière
L’Hermitage in La Baule with its seaside
touches; the modern, elegant comfort of
the Hôtel Le Général d’Elbée on
the island of Noirmoutier; and
the Casino Barrière l’Eléphant
d’Or in Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
to name but three.
But two Alpine ski resort
hotel renovations – Ecrin Blanc
in Courchevel and L’Arboisie
in Megève – threw up entirely
different challenges. The
mountain hideaway trend in
the luxury market is driven by
the desire to create a certain located on the Mont d’Arbois Above and left: tion project: a hotel for
homeliness, notably with the Massif, in the fabulous ski L’Arboisie in Megève, large tribes, encourag-
use of local materials (plenty village of Megève. The aim and right, Ecrin Blanc ing exchanges between
of solid wood) and an alto- for the makeover of this in Courchevel; inset, generations, laughter
gether more natural, warm feel. Cocoon- four-star hotel was to create left, Chantal Peyrat and good food.”
ing is a much-used word to describe ski a kind of a large family home where the This also applies to
accommodation comfort and after a hard public areas, such as bars and restaurants, the guest accommoda-
day on the slopes, what is most appreci- become real places of life and exchange. tion: “This is reflected
ated by guests is a soft blanket, a super The hotel’s natural setting, with most in the rooms with
comfortable sofa and quality linens. rooms and suites (69 in total, ranging beautiful flats with
“Studio Chantal Peyrat works on from 20 to 144 m2) offering forest views, dormitories, suites
both new and renovation projects, is totally conducive to relaxation and equipped with kitchens,
so the approach is very different,” she escape. Crucially, Peyrat opted for warm, generous balconies...
told Connexion. “Creating character and subtle tones associated with natural Just like home but
conviviality in new buildings, which is materials as well as symbols and motifs better!”
the case of Ecrin Blanc, and reinvent- that showcase the beauty of mountain life: The main challenges,
ing, rethinking, and rewriting the hotel Edelweiss flowers, pairs of old skis, soft she says, when working
history which had many lives, as in the wool plaids. The atmosphere is cosy and on projects in moun-
case of the Arboisie. For both hotels, it is conducive to nostalgia. tain locations are the
a search for balance between traditional And then there are the dining and climatic difficulties,
and contemporary, complex and casual, relaxation areas: “For the Arboisie, it is a supplies, deadlines to
aesthetic and warm... Emotion is at the tribute to France that we have proposed: be met because the
core of our concerns.” Le Cellier, Chez Jean, le comptoir à saucis- snow neither waits nor
The designer spent two years overseeing son (sausage counter)... Epicureanism and warns. While at
the complete renovation of L’Arboisie, sharing were our mottos for this renova- L’Arboisie, there was
the added pressure “to
renovate while respond-
ing to the operation
needs, in particular the
upmarket equipment in
the rooms.”

Interior inspiration
So what specifically was
her inspiration at Ecrin Blanc? “To create
emotion through a search for real materi-
als – to bring back stone and old wood to
flesh out the space.
“White is the main theme, of course,
at the heart of the hotel concept and in
its name (translated as “white screen” in
English). In addition, we selected typical
mountain patterns such as tartan, but
revamped them with more pop colours,
to bring back some freshness!
The furniture, she says, is all about con-
trasts: “A mix and match between the old
Chesterfield and the contemporary me-
ridian, pure lines enhanced with animal
skins... thoughtful but mismatched, like
in a big and beautiful family chalet.”
As usual when Connexion has the ear of
a notable interiors expert, we ask for some
top tips for readers carrying out their own
renovation or new-build project.
Mme Peyrat has this advice for those
looking to buy, build or do up a mountain
chalet: “Take elements you like and mix
them up; give importance to light and
space; and have fun with fabrics!”
December 2022 I French Living connexionfrance.com Hidden histories 17

Clémence Isaure: myth, poet and muse

1 2
Medieval art historian Dr Julia Faiers
recounts the fantastical story of
Toulouse’s iconic literary legend

C
lémence Isaure is the legend-
ary figurehead of Toulouse’s
Floral Games, an annual
poetry competition that has
taken place nearly every year
since 1324. In her southern hometown
the company of poets, the Consistoire du
Gai Savoir, to ensure the Floral Games
would continue in perpetuity.
In the sixteenth century, members of
the Consistoire du Gai Savoir, curious
about how their annual games and prizes

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

city of Toulouse, she is as famous as Joan
of Arc. Her name graces road signs and
schools all over the southwest, while her
face is immortalised in paintings and
sculptures. She has been celebrated and
admired over the centuries as a poet, a
patron, a judge, a virgin goddess, a
romantic heroine, and a muse. She con-
tinues to be the poster girl for Europe’s
oldest literary academy, the Academy of
the Floral Games. Yet there is not a shred
of evidence that this woman ever existed.
So who was Clémence Isaure and how
were funded, asked the town councillors
to show them Isaure’s testament. In 1540
the councillors refused to show them,
and then when asked again in 1544, said
they had never seen it. The testament has
never been recovered, a fact that seems
only to have further fuelled the making
of Clémence Isaure’s myth.
The first statue commemorating her
personifies the murky provenance of
Clémence’s existence. Records show
that in the sixteenth century, the four-
teenth-century effigy of a woman from

did she gain her mythical status?
The story starts in Toulouse in 1323,
when seven troubadours (chivalric poet
performers) came together to celebrate
poetry written in the local language of
Occitan, the langue d’oc. They launched
a competition, calling for poets to submit
an example of their work, the best of
which would win a prize. The following
year, on the Feast of the Violet, 3rd May
1324, Arnaud Vidal won the top prize
of a golden violet flower at the town’s
first Floral Games.
The precious gilded flower prizes,
3
the noble Ysalguier family, whose tomb
lay in a local church, was taken from its
funerary location and turned into an
upright statue. The statue was re-named
Clémence Isaure and placed on a pedestal
in a room at the Capitole where the
Consistoire du Gai Savoir held its meet-
ings. The up-cycled statue even had an
engraved epitaph mounted on its plinth,
the text almost certainly relating to
another person. In the seventeenth centu-
ry, a famous local sculptor was paid to
add some details to the statue - new
arms, some flowers in one hand and a

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

and the slap-up feast that took place
afterwards, were funded by the town
councillors. When the original seven
troubadours died, they were replaced
by other Toulouse nobles, who stopped
scroll in the other - to make her a more
convincing likeness for the legendary
benefactor of Toulouse’s Floral Games.
The myth of Clémence Isaure gained
momentum, reaching its zenith in the
Photo: Julia Faiers

awarding glittering prizes and met only
to celebrate the Feast of the Violet.
The company seems to have disbanded
altogether in 1484.
It is from this culturally gloomy atmos-
phere that the figure of Clémence Isaure
emerged as the saviour of the Floral
Games. In 1496, records describe how a
Toulouse woman called Clémence Isaure
re-started the annual competition, intro-
ducing new awards and new golden
flowers, which she personally designed
and then distributed to the winning
poets. When she died, she is said to
have bequeathed her vast fortune to
nineteenth century, the period when the
majority of the art celebrating her was
produced. Paintings and statues depict
her in a variety of improbable and unre-
lated scenarios, including as a tragic her-
oine and as a Christian guardian of the
arts. In Place de la Concorde in Toulouse,
she towers over the square from her 4 5
plinth, her head framed by a remarkable
headpiece that is more a celebration of
Art Nouveau aesthetics than a nod to
actual medieval fashion. The jury is still
out as to whether Clémence Isaure is fact
or fiction. To the people of Toulouse, this
hardly matters. Her legend lives on in art.

1. A bronze statue of Clémence Isaure in Art Nouveau style by Léo Laporte-Blairsy,

1913, Place de la Concorde, Toulouse.
2. In 1848, Parisian sculptor Antoine Préault was paid 12,000 francs to create this
statue of Clémence Isaure for the Femmes Illustres series of 20 statues of famous
women in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.
3. Clémence Isaure, painted by Jules Lefebvre (1836-1911) as a romantic heroine,
Photo: Neupont, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 license

wearing a laurel wreath in her hair, and holding a scroll and flowers associated
with the Floral Games.
4. Clémence Isaure sports a bold pseudo-medieval look in this painting of 1895 by
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Henri Martin, now in a private collection. She clutches the troubadour’s essential
tool of the trade, a lyre.
5. The Academy of the Floral Games’s statue of Clémence Isaure, which currently
resides in the Salle Clémence Isaure in the Hôtel d’Assézat in Toulouse, is a
mix-and-match combination of a fourteenth-century funerary statue of another
woman, with limbs and accessories added in the sixteenth century.
18 Puzzles connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2022

Bilingual cryptic crossword by Parolles

Answers are in French and English
Across
1 French marshal receiving support from the
rear is close at hand (6)
4 Reckless aide-de-camp briefly overwhelmed
by town plan (6)
8 Weapon found in sack by someone from
Warsaw (7)
9 Exercise system for sea robbers changing
sides (7)
11 Crazy Gene barred from drinking place (4,6)
12 Price paid for services brought back after
bishop’s complaint (4)
13 Alain’s throat operation primarily occupying
Doctor Greg (5)
14 Tentacle cut up with a surgical knife in
Metz (8)
16 Bill turned left to find small dog by ash
tree (8)
18 Drive off with the Spanish salesman
earlier (5)
20 Information on Ecstasy causing Odette’s
discomfort (4)
21 Very noticeable in part of speech on the
Church by duke (10)
23 Arnaud’s to inherit by right they say after he
remonstrates at first (7)
24 Severely criticised plot to catch English
deserter (7)
25 Resistance after changes to trade lead to
delay in Calais (6)
26 Hit by second vehicle (6)
Down
1 Tearful goddess back home to get an
award (5)
2 Napoleon’s to frighten animal with soldiers
entering ancient city (7)
3 Container arrived with a couple of rackets
and a simple photographic device (3,6)
5 French aeroplane discovered by yours truly
in river (5)
6 I left cheese with cold meat earlier in
Camille’s bedroom (7)
7 Supporter of classical architecture in
Nîmes? (9)
10 Loud toad running wild around hospital is
in a fully grown state (9)
13 Maiden possessed by eccentric avenger
initially taken seriously in Lille (9)
15 Dour head of Oundle surprisingly seen in a
resort north-west of Lyon (4-5)
17 Around one entering into lease again on a
workshop in Toulouse (7)
19 Detective describing judge held captive
by a French sailor and someone from
Amritsar (7)
21 American writer with extremely large stove
in Cannes (5)
22 Pupil in Grenoble not quite 11 (5)

French-themed crossword by John Foley

Note all answers are words or names associated with France
Across
1 Born this month in 1790: Jean-François
___________, pioneering decipherer of
Egyptian writing systems (11)
7 Starting point for 14 down? (3)
8 Highly likely to provide a white Christmas
in some places (5)
10 Crying out to be decorated: _____ de Noël (5)
11 Clean or neat (3)
12 Little donkey (4)
13 Fourth month of calendrier républicain,
starting between 21 and 23 December and
ending between 19 and 21 January (6)
16 Knitwear such as a pullover (6)
17 At Christmastime every church has one with
a variety of ‘santons’ (6)
20 Sheep’s milk cheese (6)
21 Off the shoulder? (4)
22 Parasitic plant sometimes given at this time
Down
1 Film-maker such as Tati or Truffaut (8)
2 Leg-ending appendage (4)
3 Having strong feelings of sexual desire (6)
4 Unsuitable or inappropriate (8)
5 Convent resident (5)
6 Feu ____ – wait for this at a junction (4)
9 Unheard of or amazing (5)
14 Gourmet delicacy popular at réveillon
dinners (4,4)
15 In Provence the main Christmas meal is
followed by 13 of these (8)
18 Herb of the parsley family with a slightly
sharp citrus and aniseed flavour (5)
19 Bookworm (6)
20 Balance sheet (5) Photo: Stephen Farhall_shutterstock

of year as a porte-bonheur – or invitation to 22 Self-catering

kiss (3) rental (4)
24 Lichette or petite quantité (5)
25 Saule séché – used in basket making (5)
26 Taxe sur la valeur ajoutée (1,1,1)
27 Latinised name of astrologer and prophetic 23 Department in the Hauts-de-France
predictor born in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence containing the metropolitan region
this month in 1503 (11) of Lille (4)

Fun French facts Like our quiz?

1 Behind the bubbly legend 2 Home front 3 Esprit de corps Buy our quiz books
During World War One, online at
THE oldest recorded sparkling wine is Blanquette de Limoux, Sainte-Adresse was the THE Foreign Legion – which is connexionfrance.com
which was invented by Benedictine Monks in the Abbey of Saint- administrative capital made up of foreign nationals who HORS SERIE NUMBER 2

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December 2022 I French Living connexionfrance.com Puzzles 19
Toughnut No. No.8
Toughnut 2 – Scribo Crossmots
- Scribo Crossmots Five French Facts:
These dual-language puzzles called ‘Toughnuts’ require you to translate the clue (English to French
These dual-language
or vice-versa) and puzzles called ‘Toughnuts’
then decide require you
where the answer fits to
intranslate
the grid.theTo
clue andyou
help thenthe
decide
firstwhere
letter of the
Commune Knowledge
the answer The commune – successor to the parish of the ancien régime – is the bedrock of French local
answer is fits in the grid.
provided. YouTocan
help the first
then findletter of the cathedral
a French answer is provided.
city fromBonne chance!
the blue squares. Bonne chance!
administration. If you live in France you live in one. There are a lot of them: almost 35,000
For more dual-language puzzles see www.crossmots.com on the mainland and 120 more overseas, which is why you have never heard of most of them.
Comparisons with other countries are difficult but Britain, with a similar population, makes
A Year do with 9,500 equivalent local government units and Spain, almost as large as France, has
A Trees just over 8,000. Communes vary enormously in surface area, population and character from
A Surgir remote hamlets to the biggest cities. A third of all communes are rural the rest are urban to
a greater or lesser extent. Here are a few odd, interesting facts about communes that are
A Actif distinguished in some way. By Nick Inman
A A surgi
1. The most populous is Paris, with 2.16 million inhabitants (the

Photo: Rochefourchat_Fabrice Photo: saiko3p_shutterstock

C Chats commune not the conurbation) which is divided into arrondissements.
C Fête It is followed in size by Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse. These are atypical,
of course: the average population of a commune is 380.
C Circle
C Rampé 2. The least populous commune is Rochefourchat in the Drôme
which has one inhabitant (making it the 35,323th largest settlement in

Blache_wikipedia_CC BY-SA 3.0

E Ennemi France) and a population density of 0.1 person per sq km. Guess who
E Séducteur the mayor is. You won’t need the plural of the adjective for the locals,
É Spread out Rochefourchatiens. Altogether, 71.5% of communes (27,963) have fewer
than 1000 inhabitants and 891 have fewer than 50 inhabitants. Six
É Off communes, however, have no residents at all.
E Évidemment
N Black
3. The first commune in alphabetical order is Aast in the foothills
of the Pyrenees (in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques). It’s pronounced

Photo: Havang(nl)/Wiki
O Être d’accord with a nasal “A” sound and the “T” is silent. Last on the list is Zuytpeene
P Perspective (mairie pictured right, in Nord), which has a Flemish name.
R Réfrigérateur 4. The longest name of a commune is possessed by (take a breath) Saint-
S Saucisson Remy-en-Bouzemont Saint-Genest-et-Isson in Champagne (Marne) which
has 38 letters and 45 characters. If you think hyphens are cheating, how about

Photo: Delpixel_shutterstock Photo: picardhiv68/Wiki

S Paysage Niederschaeffolsheim and Mittelschaeffolsheim in Alsace which each have 20
S Abri letters. The shortest name is Y (Somme), which must save the mayor a for-
S Serpent tune in printer cartridges. Another 15 communes have only 2 letters to their
names. They are, since you ask: Ay, Bû, By, Eu, Fa, Gy, Oô, Oz, Py, Ri, Ry, Sy,
T Donc Ur, Us and Uz. Reciting this list is good for practicing your French vowels.
T Essaie
5. The furthest commune from Paris is the Ile des Pins, an island
T Taper “paradise” fringed with beautiful sandy beaches, which sits on the Tropic
U Plus moche of Capricorn in Nouvelle Calédonie, in the Pacific. It is 16,830 km from the
V Vues capital as the crow flies. The name “Pine Tree Island” was given to it by
Captain James Cook.

Test your knowledge of France

For all answers with our Connexion quiz
please turn to
Guess the region... French Living 1 Which overseas département is shared by 13 What happened on 6th June 1944?
France has 13 regions. Every issue we pick a spot, page 24 Cayenne, Kourou and Mana?
14 With what kind of music do you associate
all you need to do is work out which region it is in... 2 For whom did Serge Gainsbourg write his the composers Ravel and Debussy?
song ‘Je t’aime … moi non plus’?
Clue: Concrete ideas 3 Who composed the opera
‘The Pearl Fishers’?
Photo: vectorry_shutterstock

4 What took place on 25th October 1415?

5 What is the most popular beer in France?

Photo: Ground Picture_shutterstock

15 Who became a film star with a string of

successful films, including L’Étudiante,
Pacific Palisades and Fanfan?

16 What is the definition of the French idiom

‘avoir le melon déplumé’ (literally, to have a
plucked melon)?
6 Who was Yves Saint Laurent’s partner?
17 Which child star had a relationship with
7 Is France divided into more or less than 20 Johnny Depp?
administrative regions?
18 What was Edith Piaf ’s nickname?
8 Who painted the radical ‘Le Déjeuner sur
l’herbe’ in 1862-3? 19 Who took over Paris in 1871?
9 Who is France’s largest export partner? 20 In which numbered Parisian
arrondissement are Les Invalides?
10 In which month does Le Tour de France
usually begin?
Profile
11 For which two English football clubs did
Eric Cantona play? Quiz by Adam Jacot de Boinod who was a
researcher for the first BBC series QI and is an
author of three books including ‘The Meaning
12 Which French author lived in exile in Saint
of Tingo’.
Peter Port, Guernsey, from 1855 until 1870?
20 Reviews
French films
A critical eye on ciné
releases and classics
Santa Claus
Dir: Alexandre Coffre
To get you in the mood for Christmas, this
sweet-natured, French-Belgian comedy
about a young boy who mistakes a burglar
dressed as Santa for the real thing, is as
cute, moving and entertaining as it gets.
It is Christmas Eve in Paris and little boy
Antoine is not merely thinking about the
new toys that Le Père Noël might bring –
he also dreams of a ride on Santa's sleigh
so that he can visit his father, who "lives
on a star" as his Mum says (we presume
he has passed away).
Too excited to sleep, Antoine (played
by the adorable Victor Cabal) is looking
out of his bedroom window into the
Christmas sky, when suddenly Santa
(played by Tahar Rahim, who made such
an impression five years earlier in 2009's
The Prophet) lands with a thud on his bal-
cony. He is clearly a burglar but Antoine
immediately believes him to be the real
Santa, and implores him to let him have
a ride on his sleigh.
"Santa" fobs him off but the boy is insist-
ent and the two embark upon a night of
escapades and scrapes with the law, during
which time a lovely friendship develops.
Once little Antoine is finally delivered
back home before his mother even real-
ised he had gone, all is well again and
the burglar undergoes something of a
redemption, realising the power of
Christmas kindness.
Of course the film is packed with
implausibilities, but that does not detract
from the hugely enjoyable double act and
the festive message. Available to Stream
on Amazon Prime and Google Play.
Cinema: Belle and Sebastian
Updated version of the tale of a 10-year-
old spending his holidays in the moun-
tains, who befriends a mistreated dog.
Beware the linguistic spider's web at first glance
Language notes
J
ust before Halloween, your
Language Noter got the most terri-
ble fright – and it was nothing to do
with fantômes (ghosts) or spookily
lit citrouilles (pumpkins).
Casually reading the list of ingredients
on a packet of biscuits, I was stopped in
my snack tracks upon seeing the words
"traces de arachnides".
Quel horreur! I gasped, imagining a care-
free factory worker sweeping up the floor
and nonchalantly lobbing bits of deceased
spider into the biscuit mix loader.
I had, of course, made the mistake of
misreading the word as arachnide instead
of arachide – easily done. Arachide is
the French word for the genus name for
peanuts, Arachis hypogaea, so the cookie
maker's warning was for those susceptible
to allergies, and means "may contain
connexionfrance.com
Music
Yannick Noah La Marfée
Few people get to enjoy
enormous success in two
entirely unrelated indus-
tries, but French former
tennis player and singer
Yannick Noah has done
just that.
Born in Sedan, Ardennes,
in 1960, Noah won the
French Open back in 1983
and was an outright super-
Books - The 20 minute review
We read recent releases with a link to France. To be fair, each gets 20 minutes’ reading time
Life in Napoleon's Army
Captain Elzear Blaze
Frontline Books, €18.65
ISBN: 978-1399019705
THIS re-edition of a fascinating
account of the Napoleonic Wars
includes a commentary by Charles
James Napier.
Elzéar Blaze was not the only old
soldier to write his memoirs but
rather than a personal account, this
book is a detailed description of
life in the French Army in the early
1800s. Having entered the army as
an ordinary foot solider and
worked his way up to captain, he
had a comprehensive view of how
the army at that period functioned,
and his descriptions include life in
camps and barracks, on battlefields, and even in the boudoir.
Lieutenant-General Sir Charles James
Napier was himself a distinguished British
officer, commissioned into the British
Editor’s
Army at the age of 12. His editorial
commentary illuminates an already
choice
fascinating account, and his respect
for the French Army is evident.
The chapters cover the military
academy in Fontainebleau, bivouac and
marauders, marches, service in Germany,
Poland, Spain and France as well as military executions, every
topic illuminated and illustrated with anecdotes, personal experi-
ences, reminiscences, and fascinating tales from the front line.
The author is a natural story-teller, and his tales are all the more
gripping for being true. Guerrillas in Spain, coerced French spies
inventing intelligence, wives following the drum and coming
under fire, it's all there. A kaleidoscope of different characters
tumble off the page, and it's fascinating to discover how wars
were fought two hundred years ago.
Historically accurate, this is nevertheless a book that will appeal
to anyone who enjoys good stories well told.
nuts". [Readers should be aware that traces
are warned about in many French foods,
including cream desserts, cheeses with
dried fruit in them, yoghurt with muesli,
dairy products containing cereals, ice
cream, frozen desserts, cereal bars, galette
des rois (eaten over epiphany, January 6)
and many plats préparés (ready meals) –
so always read the label].
“
Back to arachnides, joint-legged inverte-
brate animals (arthropods) of which
spiders are just one species. The latter
are called araignées in French and have
inspired various florid expressions, such
as this to describe someone as a being
I made the mentally disturbed – "avoir une araignée
au plafond" (to have a spider living in
mistake of one's head, ie. on the roof of the skull).
On a kinder note, this from writer Jules
misreading Renard (1864-1910): "Quelques gouttes de
rosée sur une toile d'araignée, et voilà une
the word rivière de diamants" – "A few drops of dew
on a spider's web, and there you have a
as arachnide river of diamonds".
French Living I December 2022
star of the sport in France (no Frenchman
had won at Roland Garros for 37 years). He
was awarded the Legion of Honour in 1991.
He hung up his racket the same year as a
player (though he continues to work in the
sport, as France's Davis Cup captain, bring-
ing them three titles) and became a record-
ing artist, shifting millions of albums. Such
was his popularity that by 2010 he had sold
80,000 tickets at the Stade de France.
On La Marfée, his twelfth studio album
A Year at the French Farmhouse
Gillian Harvey,
MITBoldwood, €12.19
ISBN: 978-1804269688
When Lily gets made
redundant, she turns
to fantasy house hunt-
ing while working her
way through a bottle of
wine late at night, and
accidentally buys a
farmhouse in France.
Needless to say, her
husband isn't amused;
in fact he finally con-
fesses that he has no
intention of moving to
France and tells her to back out of the deal.
But after decades of longing and planning to
move across the Channel, Lily digs her heels in.
If Ben won't come with her, she'll move to
France alone, which is how she ends up in the
Limousin renovating a massive crumbling
wreck solo.
A Year at the French Farmhouse is an engaging
tale about the process of completely rebuilding a
life after the loss of a job, a marriage and practi-
cally everything. Lily's BFF Emily is a rock, but
she has her own problems. Both she and Lilly
are likeable characters; resilient, resourceful
and energetic.
Lily completely deserves a romantic element in
the shape of a Frenchman called Fred, and read-
ers will be rooting for a happy ending, but is Fred
really her destiny? This book is an ideal read on a
cold winter afternoon.
Gillian Harvey has lived in the Limousin for
20 years, and her love of the area shows in her
writing. The novel follows her earlier books,
The Marvellous Life of Clara Bailey, Perfect on
Paper, and Everything is Fine.
Using the wrong word is just so annoying
The French you don’t
learn at school
T
he latest linguistic takedown
by Le Figaro newspaper's often
annoyed langue française
(French language) editorial
team, which keeps readers
abreast of trends in the spoken word,
concerns what they see as the creeping,
unnecessary usage of the word "juste" in
everyday conversation.
The word translates as "just" and, as
they often do, they blame inappropriate
use of an anglicism. They scathingly call
it "une de ces mauvaises herbes qui enva-
hissent le jardin de la langue française" –
"one of those weeds invading the garden
of the French language". Furthermore,
they write, it is constitutes "un anglicisme
qui a progressivement parasité la variété de
notre bagage lexical" – an anglicism that
packed with African rhythms and uplifting
melodies and featuring the very catchy first
single Back to Africa, he explores not only
his family's roots in Cameroon but also his
own childhood in Ardennes.
"We must not forget where we come from,
preserve the memory of those who helped
us, of those who counted," he recently told
francetvinfo.
Noah is on a tour that will culminate in a
show at Paris Olympia, December 14.
A Christmas Carol
(Bi-lingual Version)
Charles Dickens,
UltraLetters, €6.53
ISBN: 978-2930718217
AN ideal present
for yourself or any
other book-lover,
this simultaneous
translation of
Charles Dicken's
classic A Christmas
Carol will appeal to
anyone brushing up
either their English
or their French.
To an English speaker, there's a par-
ticular pleasure in seeing it set out on
the page, just how many French words
it takes to explain what Dickens says in
so few; and right from the beginning
with the discussion of whether door-
nails are more dead than coffin nails,
the translation is full of joy.
To a French speaker, this is a great
way of brushing up some more
advanced vocabulary without having
to open a dictionary every two min-
utes. Dickens' talent for writing sen-
tences which sound like he's talking
directly to the reader is as obvious in
French as in English.
The layout – two columns side by
side, one language in each – makes it
easy to switch from one language to
another, and would also make it easy
to read aloud; in itself a very Festive
and peaceful activity. Just to give
you a taste, I bet you didn't know
that "Bah! Humbug!" translates as
"Bah! Sottise!"
has progressively parasitized the variety
of our lexical baggage". Ouf, as they say.
First, let's examine its correct traditional
use – as in the phrase "le mot juste" (just
the right word). It implies exactitude and
correctness and Le Figaro references 17th
century mathematician and thinker Blaise
Pascal, in whose collected works, Pensées
de Pascal, he talks about geometry requir-
ing the need to "juger droit et juste" (judge
rightly and justly). "Juste" here means
with 'as it should be' precision and is still
used to describe someone singing in tune:
"chanter juste".
However, Le Figaro deems plain wrong
latter day anglicised additions of the word
juste: "C’était juste magnifique!" (it was
just magnificent) and "Je veux juste que
tu le saches" (I just want you to know).
Instead, they implore, people should be
sticking to French words such as seule-
ment (only), simplement (just) or vrai-
ment (really) – as in "C’était vraiment
magnifique!" instead of using 'juste".
 December 2022 I French Living connexionfrance.com Shopping/Did you know? 21
QUOI DE NEUF?

Photos: Pernod Ricard

New products, designs and ideas from around France
Blowing baubles
The Meisenthal glassworks in Moselle dates
back to 1704, but between 1867 and 1894,
Emile Gallé, leader of the Ecole de Nancy,
carried out technical research into the creation
of objects that led to the site being known as
the cradle of “Art Nouveau” glass. Despite
producing over 4 million pieces (such as
goblets), a year in the 1960s, it folded in 1969.
However, in 1998 the launch of the
International Centre of Glass Art (CIAV)
led to a rebirth of the industry and by 1999 it
was selling glass baubles for Christmas trees.
Today, in addition to reissuing traditional
models inspired by ancient figurative subjects,
each year designers are invited to come up
with contemporary designs.
The ornaments are produced according to
different techniques (free-blown, blown-
turned or blown-fixed) and enhanced with
a colourless glass attachment. Some models
are enhanced with deco-
ration or a cold applied
Photos: Guy Rebmeister_Ciav

treatment (silvering,
sandblasting, engraving).
Sample price (purple
“Lab” model, main
image), from €24.
ciav-meisenthal.fr

Socking it to them in Tarn Some like it hot

a real “Made in France” success story, Missegle was founded in WHETHER you opt to fill your flask with
1983 by Myriam Joly, on a small farm located in Burlats, just out- builder’s tea or strong French coffee for
side of Castres in the Tarn department, where she raised Angora your randonnée (hike), you can keep it
goats imported from Texas to use the wool for knitting socks.
The company grew, her two sons joined the team and by 2014,
Missegle was awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant
piping hot in style with this très chic Marcel
Love Twizz mug/flask (350ml). 100% Made
in France by Neolid of Lyon, with a patent-
Queen’s favourite tipple
(Living Heritage Company) label, and by 2021 had 50 employees.
Browse their vast array of super-warm chaussettes, for everyday
use as well as hiking, on the website. missegle.com
ed lid twisting system. Price €19.95
www.neolid.com/en was cure for malaria
or white grenache, carig-
nan and macabeu grapes.
It is aged for one year in
Did you know?

Blue boules, please
CHRISTMAS is a fine time to offer
a shiny new set of boules to a pétanque-
playing friend or relative. Help them
stand out from the crowd, not to men-
tion spot their balls easily during a
tense match, with these dazzling,
competition-standard, carbon steel blue
boules from traditional Marseille maker
La Boule Bleue, price €115.
www.laboulebleue.fr
Photo: Facebook
D
ubonnet, the French ver-
mouth that had Queen
Elizabeth II’s favour, was
initially invented to cure
malaria for French sol-
diers stationed in North Africa before
being marketed as an aperitif drink.
Its popularity rose in the 1930s
thanks to a catchy advertising slogan
that helped it become popular in
French homes, brasseries and
restaurants.
The drink, which sold out in Tesco
stores during the weeks following
the Queen’s death, is sold by French
beverage mogul Pernod Ricard, which
bought it in 1976 and has been produc-
ing it in Thuir (Pyrénées-Orientales)
since 2006. The demolition of the last
building in Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine)
where the company advertised the
drink on the walls had almost put
the final nail in its coffin.
Dubonnet took its name from French
wine seller and chemist Joseph
Dubonnet who won a competition
hosted by the French government to
find health solutions for the large num-
bers of soldiers that contracted malaria.
Dr Dubonnet introduced quinine, a
derivative of the Cinchona tree, herbs
and spices in wine. The drink Picon was
invented by Gaétan Picon using quinine
around the same time, again to cure the
same ailments by using grandmothers’
remedies that contained the alkaloid.
oak barrels before being
infused with wine. It also
contains blackcurrant
and essence of tea, as
well as cane sugar.
But Dubonnet became
one of the trendiest of
drinks after popular
French painter
Cassandre designed an
advertising campaign
centred around the
motto: “Dubo, Dubon,
Dubonnet.” Ads ran
along walls, on postcards
and in the Paris métro
until the 1970s.
Dubonnet was served in many cock-
tails including the ‘Dandy’, the ‘Twist’ or
‘The French Connexion.’ The Dubonnet
cocktail - the Queen’s favourite - consist-
ed of one part of Gordon’s London Dry
gin for two of Dubonnet with a half
lemon wheel sunk in a wine glass with
two rocks of ice.
Pernod Richard told The Connexion
that over one million litres were drunk
between 2000 and 2005 with Dubonnet
still sold in Colombia – a third of the
market share – and Commonwealth
countries such as the UK, Canada,
Australia and New Zealand. France
is Pernod Richard’s 5th market.
It is also sold in the United States
by another company under the
Dubonnet Grand Rouge Apéritif
de France appellation, bottled in
Kentucky and marketed under a

Quinquina Dubonnet was then a different – but somehow slightly

popular apéro drink made from black similar – slogan: “Do you Dubonnet?”
22 History connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2022

A tall tale of high kicks in

the exotic nightclubs of Paris
Margaret Kelly started off as a talented dancer who went on to establish one of the capital’s most beloved
evening entertainments. Samantha David looks at her dazzling career as the doyenne of the Bluebell Girls

A
lthough Margaret Kelly ages, audiences flocked to theatres to keep

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, below, Serge Mouraret / Alamy Stock Photo

(1910-2004) wasn’t French,
she was instrumental in
developing Parisian cabaret,
and established a dance
troupe which conquered hearts all over the
world, and which continues to influence
how many shows are staged today.
Born in Dublin, she was adopted at birth
by a dressmaker. Mother and daughter
left Ireland after the bloody 1916 Easter
Uprising, and moved to Liverpool where
Margaret was enrolled in dance classes.
It soon became clear that she was excep-
tionally talented, and in 1924, at the age
of 14, she left school to begin her career
as a dancer.
Her first job was with a company in
Scotland called Hot Jocks, and her second
was at the Scala in Berlin, where she
stayed for five years. In 1930, aged just
20, she moved to Paris to work for the
Folies Bergère.
Originally built as an opera house, the
Folies Bergère was a light entertainment
venue originally offering operettas, comic
opera, popular songs and gymnastics, until
in 1886 Edouard Marchand came up with
the idea of a music hall review starring
scantily clad dancers.
The audiences were a mix of working-
class and wealthy, and the shows staged
there were designed to delight and amuse.
Productions were colourful, exuberant and
extravagantly designed: just four years
before Margaret Kelly arrived, Josephine
Baker had caused a sensation by appearing
in a costume consisting of little more than
a string of fake bananas around her hips.
Maurice Chevalier, Mistinguett, and many
others launched their careers at the
Folies Bergère.
The new dancer from Ireland earned the
nickname ‘Miss Bluebell’ because of her
blue eyes, and after only two years at the
Folies Bergère, founded her own troupe
called The Bluebell Girls. In contrast to
the petite naked women at the review, from
the beginning Mrs Kelly only employed tall
girls, and added to their height with vertigi-
nous high heels. The routines were slick
warm in the evenings, but due to the cur-
few, they had to catch the last metro home.
Cabarets had appeared in Paris by the late
15th century, when they were regarded as
a step up from taverns because they used
tablecloths and served better food. They
were not particularly associated with
entertainment, but by the 17th century
had become the preferred meeting places
for actors, artists and writers, including
La Fontaine, Molière, and Racine.
By 1773, poets, painters, musicians and
writers were frequenting a cabaret called
Le Caveau in Paris, where they wrote and
performed satirical songs.
By the 18th century, the café-concert had
appeared, offering food along with music,
singers or magicians. Cabaret as we would
recognise it today first emerged in Paris
around 1881, in a club called the Chat Noir,
which listed amateur entertainers offering
readings, shadow plays, songs and comic
skits, usually quite bawdy, which used the
bourgeoisie as the butt of their jokes. The
acts were linked by a master of ceremonies.
The great and the good mixed with
bohemians and artists at the Chat Noir.
Writers, journalists, prostitutes, students,
models, and aristocrats packed into the
tiny club, which eventually moved into
larger premises. The entertainment includ-
ed jokes against the government and the
rich, and at one time Erik Satie provided
the musical accompaniment.
By 1889, the Moulin Rouge had developed
from a dance hall to a cabaret featuring
performances of the risqué cancan. The
development of Parisian nightlife during
this period went hand in hand with indus-
trial advances (the construction of the Eiffel
tower, the appearance of the first photo-
graphs and steam trains) and the blossom-
ing of a unique artistic community around
Montmartre. Among them, Henri de
Toulouse-Lautrec immortalised the world
of the Moulin Rouge in his graphic art.
It was a period of intense creativity in
Paris, a city where creative thinkers gath-
ered to exchange new ideas. The cabarets
of the past, filled with lowlifes, wealthy

and rhythmic, very quickly making the
Bluebells the stars of the show.
In 1939, she married Marcel Leibovici, a
musician working at the review, and during
WW2 they had two sons, Patrick and
Francis. During the Occupation, despite
being pregnant with her second child, she
was briefly arrested and imprisoned in
Besançon. In 1942, her husband, who was
Jewish, was arrested and taken to an intern-
ment camp in Gurs, south-west France.
Rescued by the Resistance and smuggled
back to Paris, Margaret hid him until the
Liberation. She was interrogated several
times by the Gestapo, who suspected that
she was harbouring her husband. But she
never gave away his location, and this
romantic story formed the basis for
François Truffaut’s 1980 film The Last
Metro. Starring Catherine Deneuve and
Gérard Depardieu, the story follows the
fortunes of a small theatre in Montmartre
during the Occupation. Due to fuel short-
thrill seekers, political commentators,
barflies, drinkers, and brilliant artists,
morphed into cabarets with the addition
of erotic dancers and the new jazz music.
By the end of the 1800s, there were
dozens of cabarets, clubs and music halls
across Paris, and they had started to
specialise. Some continued performing
political humour, some were purely theatri-
cal, and others focused on the macabre or
the erotic. Only a few, like the Lapin Agile,
still attracted artists and bohemians.
In 1945, after the war, Margaret Kelly,
Marcel Leibovici and their children
remained in Paris, and began working with
Donn Arden, an American choreographer
and producer at the Paris Lido. Together
they came up with the concept of the din-
ner show. With their heels and headdresses,
the Bluebell Girls towered over all the other
dancers, and their shows presented a dizzy-
ing display of colour and movement. The
troupe soon became the stars of the cabaret
“
Top, The Bluebell at the Lido, and began building an interna-
Girls arriving in tional reputation.
Amsterdam; above, By the 1950s, the Bluebell Girls were an
The famously tall international organisation with permanent
Bluebell Girls dance troupes in Las Vegas as well as all
rehearsing in 1970 across Europe, Africa and Eastern Asia.
In 1961, however, tragedy struck when
Fiercely protective Marcel Leibovici fell asleep at the wheel and
was killed in a car crash. He had been an
of ‘her girls,’ she integral part of the team, managing all the
financial and orchestral side of the organi-
insisted that they sation. As well as Patrick and Francis, he
and Margaret had also had two more
were dancers, not children, Florence and Jean-Paul. Suddenly
Margaret became responsible for the entire
strippers, and they business as well as her four children. She
rose to the challenge, however, continuing
were not allowed to grow the business, adding topless danc-
ing to the show in 1970.
to get too close Over her career, Mrs Kelly trained more
than 14,000 Bluebells, often employing
to the audience ballerinas who had become too tall for
December 2022 I French Living
ballet. Fiercely protective of ‘her girls’, she
insisted that they were dancers, not strip-
pers, and that they were not allowed to
get too close to the audience. She was well-
known for her charity work, and many
dancers remained loyal even after they
had stopped working for ‘Miss Bluebell’.
She retired in 1986 and sold the Bluebell
name to the Lido, but still visited the caba-
ret regularly. Over her 72-year career, she
was awarded an OBE, became a Chevalier
des Arts et Lettres, and a Chevalier de
l’Ordre National du Mérite. The BBC
made a drama series about her life, and
numerous books have been published
about the history of the Bluebell Girls
and the Paris Lido. She died in 2004, and
is buried in the cemetery at Montmartre
alongside her youngest son Jean-Paul,
who died in 1996.
The Lido continued as a dinner cabaret
venue until July 2022, when it finally
closed its doors. After extensive renova-
tions, it is due to be re-opened as a concert
hall. The Folies Bergère has already moved
in this direction, offering a programme
of concerts and musical shows with a bar
open for an hour before the show. The
Moulin Rouge continues to offer dinner
cabarets (starting at €205 per person) and
late-night cabarets with a glass of cham-
pagne for €88 per person.
Margaret Kelly’s contribution to French
culture is immeasurable. Her chorus lines
of glamorous dancers remain part of the
image of ‘Gay Paree’: an ephemeral image
of twinkling nightlife, daring dancers,
erotic possibility and sophistication, even
if the reality was somewhat less gilded.
Margaret Kelly’s former business associ-
ate, Donn Arden, ran the Lido de Paris
show at the Stardust in Las Vegas from
1958 to 1991, proudly basing it on the
original Paris show.
connexionfrance.com Local history 23
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Times they are a-changin’ in
the quaint village of Urepel
Théophile Larcher discovers that despite a new generation of
dynamic young farmers moving into the Basque village of Urepel,
it can still prove a challenge to reach anyone there by phone
Secret history of villages
T
he village of Urepel in the
Pyrénées-Atlantiques region,
with around 295 inhabitants,
can make you feel as if you
have gone back in time to
the early twentieth century.
Only the sinuous D958 will take you
to the 996m-high village, where local
shepherd and former presidential
candidate Jean Lassalle is a national hero,
having received 41.8% of the votes, or
forty times the national average of 1.21%.
If you pass Urepel and its steep meadows
to take the D158, you may very well find
yourself already in Spain: the first petrol
station, 4.4 kilometres down the road,
serves as the unofficial border.
Wherever you look, the closest town is
nowhere to be found. Bayonne (Pyrénées-
Atlantique) is 69 kilometres north-
west, while Pau (Pyrénées-
Atlantique) is a whole 147
kilometres away to the
north-east.
Typical etche (see
Architecture in the
October issue of
The Connexion)
show the village
Above, Margaret was a former
Kelly, founder of bastion of miners
the Bluebell Girls, and farmers.
in 1930 From 4,000
inhabitants shared
among the three villages of
the Aldudes Valley in the
nineteenth century, the closing of
mines, urbanisation, and immigration
to the United States all accelerated the
exodus to reduce the rural population
by the late twentieth century.
While Urepel is technically not in a zone
blanche (an area where communication
networks are non-existent), reaching
someone over the phone remains as
challenging as physically getting there.
Phoning the mairie during office hours
produces an unidentifiable sound, which
continues until the call is transferred to a
mailbox. The caller is then left with the
feeling that the ringing must surely fill the
Photos: Left, Spiritcred33 and inset, Frank Evan, both at Shutterstock
emptiness of the building. Reaching the
mayor, Xole Aire (pronounced cholé in
Basque) via her personal phone does not
help either, leaving the caller with the
inadvertent feeling that she must have left
it at the farm while working the cattle in
a nearby field.
Urepel breeds farmers – it is one of the
most common professions in the Basque
country. The village is most famous for
its brebis cheese, one of the very last to
be made with unpasteurized ewe’s milk.
This summer has had devastating
consequences for agriculture here, with
most farmers coping with dry soil, lack
of water and soaring prices. Some farmers
have already concluded that 2022 was a
drier season even than 2003, and with
more extreme levels of heat.
However pristine and peaceful it might
be, Urepel has managed to stop its
population decline by attracting younger
newcomers. This is particularly due to the
village having a higher than ever
percentage of women farmers.
Ms Aire is among them,
having taken
responsibility for
the family farm after
spending ten years
as a teacher. More
than 8,000 animals
were logged for the
village in 2020,
up from an all-time
low of 25 several
decades ago.
Others have invested in
former declining industries.
Pierre Oteiza, for example,
established a farm with Kintoa pigs,
a characteristic black-and-white
Basque breed.
Mattin Suquilbide, the mayor of nearby
Aldudes village, also wants to keep young
people in the region and has plans to
include Urepel in a scheme that looks
to reinvigorate the local postal office in
Aldudes which serves Urepel.
There was a time when they considered
suspending the service altogether. But it
has withstood the test of time as it is still
open for two hours per day.
But if you attempt to call them, prepare
yourself for a ring tone that never ends...
24 The big picture connexionfrance.com French Living I December 2022

Parisian girl power celebrated Answers from page 19

Guess the region
Eglise St-Joseph in Le Havre, Seine-Maritime,
with its 107m tower, was part of the post-War
reconstruction programme entrusted to Auguste
Samantha David looks

© Paris Musées / Musée Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris

Perret, pioneer of reinforced concrete use in
architecture. The stained glass is by Marguerite
at a Paris exhibition Huré. Photo: Pixabay/ddzphoto
Quiz
honouring those who 1 French Guiana, 2 Brigitte Bardot, 3 Georges
Bizet, 4 The Battle of Agincourt, 5 Kronenbourg
fought for women’s 1664, 6 Pierre Bergé, 7 Less (18), 8 Edouard
Manet, 9 Germany, 10 July, 11 Leeds United and
rights in France

W
Manchester United, 12 Victor Hugo, 13 D-day,
14 Impressionist music, 15 Sophie Marceau,
omen in France did 16 To be bald, 17 Vanessa Paradis, 18 The Little
not get the vote until Sparrow, 19 The Communards, 20 7th arron-
1944, in contrast to dissement.
women in the UK who Bilingual cryptic crossword
won the vote in 1918. Across: 1 Nearby, 4 Madcap, 8 Poleaxe, 9 Pilates,
The struggle for female suffrage in Paris is 11 Beer garden, 12 Beef, 13 Gorge, 14 Lancette,
documented in an exhibition at the Musée 16 Calabash, 18 Repel, 20 Gene, 21 Pronounced,

Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand

Carnavalet. Parisian Women, The Fight for 23 Hériter, 24 Berated, 25 Tarder, 26 Strike.
Emancipation (1789 - 2000), until January Down: 1 Niobe, 2 Apeurer, 3 Box camera,
29, 2023, documents the struggle for vot- 5 Avion, 6 Chambre, 7 Piédestal, 10 Adulthood,
ing rights as well as the continuing struggle 13 Gravement, 15 Nord-ouest, 17 Atelier,
for equality during the 20th century. 19 Punjabi, 21 Poêle, 22 Élève.
“We stopped at the year 2000 in order to French-themed crossword
present the history in a certain context,” Across: 1 Champollion, 7 oie, 8 neige, 10 sapin,
says curator Juliette Tanré-Szewczyk. 11 net, 12 ânon, 13 Nivôse, 16 tricot, 17 crèche,
“Suffragettes in Paris were not as extreme 20 brebis, 21 bras, 22 gui, 24 larme, 25 osier,
as their counterparts in London, perhaps 26 TVA, 27 Nostradamus.
because they were met with such brutal Down: 1 cinéaste, 2 pied, 3 lascif, 4 impropre,
police repression. 5 nonne, 6 vert, 9 inouï, 14 foie gras, 15 desserts,
“As a result, they generally avoided direct 18 carvi, 19 liseur, 20 bilan, 22 gîte, 23 Nord.

Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand

conflict with the authorities in favour
of staging protests which were pre-an-
nounced to the press so journalists were
there to report on the protest. But they
often then abandoned it before police ar-
rived. It was a matter of raising awareness.”
In the UK, suffragettes were arrested for
chaining themselves to the railings of 10
Downing Street, went on hunger strike,
were brutally force-fed in prisons, and in
perhaps the most tragic and shocking pro-
test of all, even died for the cause. In 1913,
to promote female suffrage, Emily Wilding
Davison ran onto the racecourse during
the Epsom Derby, attempting to attach a
ribbon to the bridle of the king’s horse. She
was trampled and died four days later of
her injuries.
The idea for the exhibition was born
when Juliette and fellow curators and
historians Valérie Guillaume, Christine
Bard, and Catherine Tambrun realised the
dearth of women presented in museum
exhibitions. “So many museums don’t
mention women at all. They simply don’t
exist. So we wanted to illustrate their
struggle to be heard, and to participate in
public life.”
Well-known feminists from Olympe
de Gouges (author of the Déclaration des
Droits de la Femme et de la Citoyenne,
born 1748, guillotined in 1793 for her
activism) to Gisèle Halimi (lawyer and
politician known for exposing French
military sexual crimes against women in
north Africa, 1927-2020) are included, as
well as lesser-known feminists, revolution-
aries, activists, unionists, pacifists, artists,
writers and politicians.
“Many other women made significant
contributions but were never individually
recognised. Women who went on strike,
who supported the movement, who spread
new ideas.” The exhibition is set out in
chronological order, from the date 1789
when women won civic rights to 2000
when the law on Gender Equality was
finally passed.
Between those two dates, the exhibition
traces the struggle for female education,
reproductive rights, the right to work,
and access to artistic and cultural creation.
It includes paintings, sculptures, photo-
Fun French facts
1 It’s a muselet – from the French museler,
to muzzle, 2 Sainte-Adresse is in the Seine-
Maritime, Normandie, 3 Spain and Luxembourg
Toughnuts
Solution No.8 (SAINTES)
Items displayed graphs, films, videos, posters, banners,
feature feminists publications, police and activists’ archives,
such as Colette (in recordings, clothing, manuscripts, books
1910), above left, and other objects like ‘suffragettes’ soap’
and the militant and a lock of Marguerite Durand’s hair.
writer Hubertine Marguerite Durand (1864-1936) was
Auclert the same an actress and a journalist as well as a
year (top right), as prominent suffragette. She founded her
well as ‘memorabil- own newspaper, and ran for election to
ia’ such as this 1914 highlight even before it was legal, equality
“I want to vote” fan for a woman. A passionate feminist and
a gifted show-woman, she was also known
for having a pet lion. The Bibliothèque
Marguerite Durand in Paris, is a public
library specialising in feminist literature.
A ANNÉE, A ARBRES, A ARISE, A AROSE,
It was founded in 1932 to house her A ASSET, C CATS, C CELEBRATION,
collection of books, manuscripts and C CERCLE, C CREPT, D DIAPOSITIVES,
publications documenting the feminist E ENEMY, E ENTICER, E ÉTALA,
struggle. It contains more than 45,000 É ÉTEINT, E EVIDENTLY, K KG, N NI,
books dating from the 17th century and N NOIRE, O OPINE, P PERSPECTIVE,
nearly 5,000 letters from women including R REFRIGERATOR, S SAUSAGE, S SCEN-
George Sand, Sarah Bernhardt, Colette and ERY, S SHELTER, S SNAKE, T THEREFORE,
Alexandra David-Néel. T TRIES, T TYPE, U UGLIER, V VIEWS.

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 The Connexion December 2022
How to get involved in
your child’s education
You do not need an
in-depth knowledge
of the French system
to play an active role
Getting involved in your
child’s education can be daunt-
ing when you are not familiar
with the school system or not
confident speaking French.
However, there are several
ways you can participate.
Parents’ associations are one
way to join with other parents
to defend your common inter-
ests. They may also organise
trips, fairs or informational
sessions around the school.
If you really want to have a
say, you can stand as a délégué
(parent representative).
For each class, at least three
times per year, a conseil de
classe is held among school
staff and parent and student
representatives, to discuss
each student’s marks as well as
issues such as homework and
pupils’ choices for the future.
Elections take place every
October, and while it is com-
mon for members of parents’
associations to stand, this is
not a prerequisite.
You can also stand for election
to the conseil d’administration,
the school board in collège and
lycée. The primary equivalent
is the conseil d’école.
Responsibilities include agree-
ing the school’s budget and
having a say on the addition or
Warning over ‘man with van’ removals
UNLICENSED ‘man with van’
services advertised on sites
such as Leboncoin leave clients
without redress when things go
wrong, the house-movers’ trade
body has warned.
Like many trades in France,
house-movers are regulated
and should be registered with
the prefecture under transport
routier de marchandises.
They are also required to have
a licence to transport, either for
vehicles under 3.5 tonnes or for
heavier lorries and vans.
Hervé Brassac, head of
the Chambre Syndicale du
Déménagement (CSD) legal
department, told The Connexion
the warning was not simply an
effort to eliminate competition.
“If you use someone who is not
registered and things go badly,
you have no comeback,” he said.
“There have been extreme
cases where people have loaded
up a van and then driven off,
never to be seen again.”
He said lack of training and
experience also led to more
breakages or bad experiences,
such as unwieldy furniture and
white goods being left at the
connexionfrance.com Practical 21
Optician launches
online eye exams
removal of academic options. stalls, jam for crêpes at the
A chain of opticians is to
offer online consultations in
areas where it is difficult to
get an appointment with an
ophthalmologist – an eye
that 56% of people in France
wait at least six months for
an appointment with an
ophthalmologist.
There is significant regional
As both a déléguée in her son’s Chandeleur, meetings to learn doctor who carries out tests variation, with 46% of people
lycée class and a teacher about the programme the and provides prescriptions for in the Centre region and 40%
herself, Emma (name changed teacher had chosen,” she said. glasses in France. in Brittany waiting at least six
on interviewee’s request) has Ms Armstrong believes a Alain Afflelou has trialled the months, compared to 11% in
experienced both sides of the foreign perspective can be scheme in five of its stores and Ile-de-France.
French education system. welcome. “And don’t worry plans to add 25 more locations The new scheme is not the
“You can make of it what you about your accent. It might in the coming months. only one of its type.
want. My son went to a school help your child’s teacher to Participating shops will be In May 2021, Point Vision
which had an English section, understand why his spelling is fitted with a consultation launched an experimental
so the parents were very active less accurate than his maths.” room, including equipment to video consultation centre in
in that section,” she said, add- Foreign parents might even allow doctors to detect issues Saint-Quentin (Aisne), in
ing that it is rare for parents find they have other things to such as cataracts. collaboration with the Caisse
to speak up during meetings. bring to the table. Patients will be directed to a nationale de l’Assurance
“Your role as a parent is practice where they can receive Maladie (Cnam), meaning
mainly educational, and you Linguistic challenges a physical exam if necessary. patients could be reimbursed.
Photo: Bob Timms
are less involved in the wider Bob Timms put his outdoor Reader Bob Timms previously Managing director Anthony Patients are seen by an
school life in France. There is skills to use volunteering on participated in snowshoe and Afflelou said: “Our objective orthoptist, who provides the
not really a sense of commun- his daughters’ school trips cross-country skiing outings, is to offer clients quick and link with a doctor in Lille.
ity around the school.” and classe verte trips to the simplified access to an appoint- In July, the group published
She gave the example of a children is surprising. Where countryside. He is a qualified ment with a practitioner in the results, which revealed
parent she had previously my son went, there was a tech- mountain walking guide, and medical deserts [zones where that the average waiting time
spoken to who arrived for a nology teacher who, if you cycling, canoeing, rafting and there is a lack of medical for appointments was reduced
conseil de classe. “I asked if she hadn’t drawn a line in the right kayaking instructor and guide. professionals].” from several months to just
would like a coffee. She looked place, would rip up the paper.” “My daughters’ schools liked The scheme could be expand- 18.8 days.
at me like I was mad, and said Barbara Armstrong was also having me along, even though ed: according to the chain, 200 The centre is affiliated to
no one had ever done that. surprised at the lack of parent my French was not always of its stores are situated in Point Vision Lille-Lesquin, and
“In England, we would make participation when she moved good enough to deal with back- medical deserts. a doctor from Lille comes once
sure people feel comfortable. here more than 30 years ago. chat from cheeky kids,” he said. The ophthalmologists are every two weeks to examine
In France, you are expected to Her daughter had previously “Children can sense when chosen by the company, which patients who need additional
turn up and understand what’s attended school in the UK and people are passionate about provides the technology, and tests, which was highlighted
going on.” in California, where parents things and they are drawn to it. there will be no obligation to as an essential component in
were eager to get involved. You don’t need a lot of language purchase glasses afterwards. information outlining the
Culture shock While she was invited to to facilitate great experiences.” There have already been results of the experiment.
While it can be challenging consult with teachers due to Mr Timms suggested many 2,000 video consultations since The group piloting the tests
if you do not speak French, her daughter’s struggles with instructions could be conveyed the start of the year as part of therefore concluded that any
Emma said she would encour- French, none of the other through body language. the test phase. teleconsultation centres should
age parents to participate, as it parents did. It was while socialising with In January, an OpinionWay be located no more than one
can be a cultural eye-opener. Later, when her grandson teachers and other parents at survey for the Rassemblement hour’s travelling time from a
She also said foreign parents attended the local one-room lunch that his language skills des Opticiens de France found physical examination centre.
can be taken aback by the school in the Cévennes moun- were most tested. “But those
educational culture in France. tains, the experience was days were often the best at MONEY-SAVER
Share your Spotify costs
“For parents not used to the radically different. “Here it’s all moving forward my French-
system, the way teachers treat parents on board! With fair speaking confidence.”
A website developed in
France is aiming to help
Photo: Shutterstock / Ivan Marc
reduce the cost of multiple
entertainment subscriptions
bottom of staircases. Very few of a three-bedroom house and other cities, and use electric by allowing them to be shared
these new entrants to the market garage to a property 60km away ladders and hoists to get furni- with friends or strangers.
have professional insurance, received three virtually identical ture down via windows. You could get access to
and when things go wrong, they quotes around the €4,300 mark. “Anyone who is moving can Spotify from €3.15, Disney+
disappear into thin air, he said. Hiring a van and calling in ask the municipality to reserve from €2.32, and Canal+ from
The CSD makes formal com- friends to help instead event- parking in front of their flats.” €8.23 per month. In total, Disney+ is available from
plaints to the Direction région- ually cost €300. Electric hoists, however, there are 120 services in 10 €2.32 via the Spliiit service
ale de l’environnement, de At the time, it was said tariffs require a trained operator and categories, including online first month. Spliiit claims
l’aménagement et du logement if for removals were set by the anyone renting one must hire an newspapers and VPNs. the practice is perfectly
members spot a business or per- grants available to French mili- individual with this expertise. Spliiit, created in 2019, legal and “does not infringe
son offering moving services tary personnel for their moves. Cargo bikes and other electric claims to use a ‘carpooling copyright nor does it violate
without being registered. Similar grants are available for bicycles, which are advertised philosophy’, allowing users to the contractual terms of
This normally triggers a formal most fonctionnaires when they in many cities as a ‘green’ way to offer out remaining profiles the platforms”.
inspection and sometimes a move as a result of job changes. move, are currently outside all or accounts as they would However, it is worth verify-
court case. However, Mr Brassac denied regulation, said Mr Brassac. spare seats in their car. ing this yourself. The Spotify
“It takes time, usually a couple removals are a fixed market. “Bicycles and electric bicycles There is a private option, Premium Family member-
of months for an inspection to “It is a very competitive busi- or tricycles are not seen by the where you share the subscrip- ship, for example, offers
be arranged, and often a couple ness, with relatively heavy law as being motor vehicles, tion with people you know, access for up to five addition-
of years for a court case. investments made upfront if and so cannot be registered as and a public option which al accounts, but these must
“However, often the threat of people do it correctly, and out- transporters,” he said. allows you to find strangers belong to family members
an inspection is enough for bad goings every month for insur- “It is something we are work- to share with. living under the same roof.
apples to stop the illegal activity.” ance, fuel and staff fees,” he said. ing to change, because although Conversely, you can also Many platforms allow indi-
The number of cases per year “No doubt that is why the it is a marginal activity, mainly search for people who have vidual accounts to be linked
varies from five to 20, but Mr quotes were so similar.” used by students in cities, the subscriptions to offer and under one subscription.
Brassac said the CSD had He added that state grants had movers cannot be insured and request to join them. We would not recommend
decided to speak out after so many variables – age, rank, so have uncovered risks for If you join a subscription, using the service for plat-
noticing more advertisements family circumstances – that it themselves and their clients.” Spliiit takes a 5% commission, forms which require users
and sites offering these services. was impossible for them to be Some removal firms also con- plus 35 cents each month. to share a single password.
Moving house in France is an used to fix house-moving tariffs. tinue to insert an excess clause Those offering out their For other services, Spliiit
expensive business. He also dispelled the miscon- into contracts, meaning clients subscription pay a 25% fee, could be a practical way to
As an example, 15 years ago a ception that only registered cannot be fully compensated if up to €1 for each new co- save money, particularly
Connexion journalist who firms are able to reserve places their possessions are damaged, subscriber, but only for the when used among friends.
wanted to move the contents of in front of flats in Paris and even though this is illegal.
 Business Directory
Use these pages to find English-speaking tradespeople and firms across France. For your security, we check that all French
businesses listed here are registered. The listings are arranged geographically by the 5 landline telephone zones of France.
Are you a business searching for new clients?
Advertise with us - prices start from just €165 HT for 1 year!
To book a space email: sales@connexionfrance.com or place your advert online at the Directory section of connexionfrance.com

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

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

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Jacqui adds, “We work with sellers to
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 The Connexion December 2022
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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Swisslife Santé. This is suitable for
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offer nine complementary policies, all
policies also include reimbursements
for bills which are not reimbursed by
the French health system.
Swisslife Hospitalisation only. These are
available for life-long cover but must be
subscribed before the age of 65. The top up
of any bills relates to hospitalisation only.
Swisslife santé Retraités and Swisslife
santé provide full cover which includes
hospitalisation, surgery Dentistry, Optical,
doctor fees, specialists, xrays, Cardiologists,
pharmacy. Essentially anything covered by
the French health system will be reimbursed
by Swisslife.
BEREAVEMENT
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Are you grieving for a loved one
and needing to talk?
We support the bereaved and
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elsewhere in France.
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info@bsnvar.org
04 94 84 64 89
between 07:00 and 23:00
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Olivia Brown
T: 06 81 84 97 27
E: olivia.brown@orange.fr
Certified translations
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(Births, Adoptions, Marriages, Deaths –
Divorces - Pensions – Wills – Family Law…)
Contact: 06 88 59 91 90
elisabeth.clavier474@orange.fr
Sworn
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Please contact Hilary Decaumont
00 33 (0) 6 10 69 05 53
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ALL OF FRANCE Directory 23
COMMERCIAL FEATURE
We understanding that many people does it operate? What is a dépassement
are confused by the need for even a basic d’honoraires? (specialists’ excesses). The
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24 Directory
Taking the paperwork and pain out of a left-hand drive vehicle purchase
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ALEXANDER PEARSON (MSc - CIWEM)
alexander@gaiusta.com
+33 (0)5 58 55 72 15
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ALL OF FRANCE www.connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022
COMMERCIAL FEATURE
their premises – meaning there is no need visit the area (easyJet and Ryanair fly into also provides a car sourcing service –
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motor insurance and Lyonnais hotels. process as painless as possible.”
transfer your no Another part Colin Edwards
claims bonus. of the service “I have used Gary Automobiles to source
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 The Connexion December 2022
Have your favourite Christmas treats delivered to your door in France
Christmas is nearly upon
us, and after spending two
Christmases apart from
friends and family due to
the pandemic, we’re sure
everyone is looking forward
to celebrating Christmas this
year the way it should be.
Christmas takes on many forms across
the globe, but for Brits, there are a few
festive treats that are an absolute must
have for the big day.
Mince Pies
Mince Pies are one of the most popular
British Christmas foods, and although not
actually a British creation, they have become
a prominent part of the Christmas scene in
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In 2021 we had issues supplying our
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deliver mince pies from brands such as
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Christmas Crackers
Christmas crackers also play a big part in
the festive celebrations but are relatively
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it’s no surprise they’re one of the first things
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ALL OF FRANCE Directory 25
COMMERCIAL FEATURE
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26 Directory FEATURES www.connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022
COMMERCIAL FEATURES

Sud-Ouest Assurances offer financial peace of mind

Anne Gardini at Sud-Ouest
Assurances explains options
available to you if you live in
France and are looking for
financial peace of mind.
“Many people will have heard of
‘ASSURANCE VIE’, says Anne, “but may not
realise it is France’s must-have tax-wrapper as
it is the financial tool which redeems France
from its taxpayer’s nightmare reputation.”
“Benefits offered by an Assurance Vie include
- The ability to shelter capital, and yet have
it available to draw from at any time with
vastly reduced income tax
- A means of passing on your estate in a tax
efficient manner
- A way to both complement your pension
and optimise (reduce) your income tax
- The protection of a family member, such as
a disabled child for instance
- ...and last but not least a means to achieve
an above average return on your capital.”
Any bank or insurer can sell you an Assurance
Vie but check first, there are a number of
things you need to look for
- The security and scope of a leading
international financial institution. The
Generali Group has been a leader in the
field of money management and pension
funds since 1831.
- A reliable adviser. After 15 years working
in Asia as a financial analyst, Anne
GARDINI under the Generali banner now
advises both French nationals and
expatriates living in France on savings, tax
and retirement issues. Her expertise in
these fields has led her to be appointed as
an expert witness with the Bordeaux Court
Of Appeal.
- Choice and quality of the financial
products.
“Because money management should never
be anything other than tailor-made we will
give you access to the best asset management
companies worldwide when considering what
to put into your Assurance Vie,” says Anne.
“Whether you seek to diversify your
investments through asset types such as
north European property, water resources
or just vanilla high-dividend paying ‘blue
chip’ stocks, we work with the best in their
area: Rothschild, Fidelity, Templeton to name
but a few. These are the quality of top-end
investment names Sud-Ouest Assurances give
you access to when you work with us.”
To find out more, contact
Anne or Sophia at Sud-Ouest
Assurances.
Phone: 05 53 73 97 29
Mail: monpazier@agence.generali.fr
Website: www.sudouest-assurances.com

Assurance Vie opens door to flexible loan borrowing in France

French expats with an A Lombard loan (crédit lombard), a
loan taken out against liquid assets, is an
Assurance Vie policy can effective way to finance projects. These
easily benefit from France’s types of loans first originated in Italy’s
‘Lombard’ loan opportunity Lombardy region in the Middle Ages
reflecting the type of borrowing merchants
by leveraging the private were engaged with. Today in France,
banking system, says wealth Lombard loans can be secured using an
expert Daniel Butcher of Assurance Vie and policy owners can
borrow up to 100% of the amount invested.
DTB Wealth Management. By using a private bank, Daniel says that
these loans are interest only – with a fixed
rate of 1.5% interest depending on when
the loan is started – and renewable every
three years. Applicants need not worry
about adding loan insurance (assurance
décès invalidité), which is usually standard
practice when borrowing funds within the
French banking system, as is not necessary
for this type of loan.
“In France one private bank offers a
Lombard loan solution that can be
accessed with a €100,000 investment,”
says Daniel. “This provides clients with
great opportunities, because, for example,
in Luxembourg a Lombard loan starts at
€1 million.
“The French version offers a much more
accessible-to-all solution.”
There are areas of the borrowing process
that must be dealt with carefully, which is
why it is important to seek specialist advice
before proceeding.
Daniel explains, “The loan has to be
justified as it is forbidden to borrow to
invest in France. However it can be
utilised for many reasons, such as a house
renovation. The conditions for accessing
the loan are generally straightforward,
however, and once you have an Assurance
Vie you can borrow at any time.”
One hurdle that applicants may need to
overcome is that the higher the deemed
risk of an asset invested in the Assurance
Vie, the less you can borrow.
“However, in essence, there is space for
flexibility,” says Daniel. “Each category of
assets allows for a certain percentage to be
borrowed. For example, if you are invested
in the ‘fonds en euros’, which is popular
with investors, you can borrow 100% of
what is invested.”
Daniel suggests those with medium term
or future projects should consider this
Assurance Vie / Lombard loan
combination. “It is a straightforward
process and the Assurance Vie product
will grow during the loan period,” he says.
“Also there is absolutely no obligation to
use the facility once the Assurance Vie has
been set up, it is just there if one needs it. ”
Tel: +33 (0) 672 344 850 /
+44 (0) 203 807 783 11 Daniel Butcher founded
Email: d.butcher@via-ap.com DTB Wealth Management

W E A R E R EC R U I T I N G !
Start a new career as a property sales agent

I love being part

of a successful
family business.
Deborah Cherry
Leggett Agent

WATCH
DEBORAH’S
STORY ON
YOUTUBE

If you would like the freedom to grow a successful

business supported by an award winning team, please
contact our recruitment department:
+33 (0)5 53 60 82 77
recruitment@leggett.fr www.leggettfrance.com
Family owned
The Connexion removals
December 2022 company
www.connexionfrance.com features Directory 27
goes from strength to strength
COMMERCIAL FEATURES

Watson European are a family

owned company specialising in
international home removals,
storage, and vehicle transportation.
Owner Andrea Watson reviews the
last year post Brexit.

“Our fundamental customer service ethos has not
changed despite the additional paperwork created by
the UK leaving the EU,” says Andrea. “If anything our
teams both office based and out on the road provide
an even more personal service than before.
“We offer advice on every aspect of the customs
formalities whether you are moving personal effects
to a second home or relocating your primary
residence to or from France.
“Over the past year we have developed excellent
relations with both our UK and French based
customs agents. This allows us to access expert
knowledge to assist with every aspect of a client’s
unique circumstance. Our friendly office team pride
themselves in understanding all individual needs and
as a result our services are far more comprehensive
than those of a traditional removal company.”
Andrea explains that over the last few years the
company has listened to the challenges faced by
people moving their possessions internationally and
says as a company Watson European has invested in
staff and equipment allowing them to become the
one stop shop for international home removals.
“Our latest investment is in a vehicle transporter
purpose built for use in Europe. This innovative
transporter allows us to carry a wide range of
vehicles including, cars, motorhomes and caravans.
The trailer incorporates winches that allow the safe
loading of not only non-running vehicles, but also
trailers, caravans etc. During the summer period
it is not uncommon for us to repatriate UK
registered vehicles for clients whose vehicles have
suffered mechanical failure. This allows repairs to be
carried out at home dealerships and can drastically
reduce the cost and stress of trying to have cars
repaired abroad.” 64 500 € 107 625 € 153 750 €
Another popular service is the temporary import
of cars and motorhomes from the UK to France for
the summer months. With customs regulations now
being strictly implemented by officials on both sides of
the channel, Watson European’s expertise with every
aspect from collection to delivery can be essential.
Andrea concludes, “Our 60 day free UK based
storage offer is proving as popular as ever, allowing
clients to travel at a pace to suit them safe in the
knowledge their belongings are being professionally
stored. Having invested heavily in the expansion of
our facility in Lincoln we are better equipped than
ever to provide long term solutions if unexpected
170 150 € 174 250 € 246 000 €
delays occur.
“It has been a demanding couple of years however
we are pleased to remain anindustry leader utilising
the latest technology whilst maintaining customer
focused old fashioned values.”
Whatever your removal requirements call
Andrea and her team at Watson European.
www.watsoneuropean.co.uk
Tel: Office 0044 (0) 1522 686 764
Andy 0044 (0) 7876 504 547 271 625 € 404 875 € 609 875 €
Email: enquiry@watsoneuropean.co.uk
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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
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 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com Exploring France 29

Perfect 10 for my Paris ‘memorial tour’ finale

On her final French trip Sally’s full ‘For Pat’ list
In a 1750 dictionary, these
places are described as “a
in memory of late 1. Grand Massif for walking with the family
small cabaret in the suburbs
and surrounds of Paris
husband Patrick, 2. Haute-Savoie exploring a mountain-top chateau where craftsmen drink in
Sally Ann Voak enjoys a 3. Bordeaux for wine, rugby, culture with friends
the summer, on festival days
and Sundays”.
boogie at a traditional 4. Nice, Monaco and the Côte d’Azur for a coast They have regained popu-
larity and the very best time
Paris guinguette, views train ride listening to Charles Trenet
to go is summer. However,
5. Toulouse and the Mont-de Marsan rugby chapel
repairs to Notre-Dame, to celebrate Pat’s sporting passion
check out the websites care-
fully as these outdoor dance
and sleeps in Toulouse- 6. Avignon to explore the ramparts and the bridge halls pop up… and down!
I chose the amazing Rosa
Lautrec’s brothel 7. Armentières because their late pal Frank Bonheur, in the 61-acre Parc
Mouqué, Légion d’honneur, helped rebuild des Buttes-Chaumont (19th
Paris is renowned as the city of love the canal bridge arrondissement), easily
but is also a city of secrets. Even after 8. Brittany coast to feel the wind in my hair accessible by metro.
many visits, the dazzling capital The park, the fifth largest
Photos: Sally Ann Voak

continues to surprise me. 9. Nantes because they flew over the city in a in Paris, opened in 1867,
Sally and Pat had vowed to friend’s plane and wanted to explore it
My last trip was eight years ago on has a cliff 50 metres high,
dance at a guinguette the
my 50th wedding anniversary. a beautiful lake and temple,
next time they were in Paris 10. Paris for a Sunday open-air bal guinguette
My husband Pat and I vowed to and, on the day I visited,
explore a list of new destinations in was being enjoyed by
France, with the final treat being Day one: taking in the sights to wander down Rue de Clichy, a long, Behind the Eiffel Tower, at the end joggers, families, tree-huggers and excit-
another long weekend in Paris: to After leaving my charming, slightly narrow street full of antique shops, of the park, a network of streets leads ed kids, mostly local. I actually prefer it
walk, learn, eat, drink eccentric hotel, I walked quirky bars, tiny clubs and fascinating towards the attractive Tour-Maubourg to Bois de Boulogne.
and dance. up to Montmartre in little boutiques, to Rue de la Chaussée- Rosa, named after a 19th century
Sadly, Pat died on Henri’s honour and ate d’Antin, then along the boulevards artist famous for her pictures of
Christmas Day 2019. breakfast at a cafe (good back home to my ‘Lautrec’. animals, was established as a cafe,
It has taken me nearly views and a sensible €10 After a sandwich lunch, I took the bar and dancehall 14 years ago in
three years to com- bill for steaming coffee, metro to Invalides and crossed over a former suburban railway station.
plete our wish list, croissants and orange the river. It has more limited opening hours
but I finally did it. juice). Spotting an advertisement for a €16 over winter, so do check ahead first.
In glorious early Then I wandered down bateau-mouche on a 2CV car (pictured, I danced, drank beer (as sour
November weather, the cobbled streets to the Pat had one of those!), I hopped guinguet is no longer served), ate a
Paris opened her heart to me. For two Pigalle area, where Paris still enthusias- aboard. The brilliant sunshine was per- delicious pizza, then took a rattling
full days I soaked up history, fun and tically embraces diversity. fect for the trip. overland metro back to Pigalle for a
glamour, took the metro to the sub- Among the many sex toy shops and It was sad to see wounded Notre- second visit to Sacré-Coeur.
urbs, explored new neighbourhoods – saucy clubs is the very serious, official Dame surroun­ded by cranes, but the The guinguette Rosa Bonheur My next metro stop was Etoile,
and danced. French rugby team store, where I work in progress is uplifting, with then a posh saunter down the
I chose my small hotel for its reasona- bought a national squad shirt for ground being prepared to support area, with students to chat to along Champs-Elysées past the huge
ble price and location in Rue d’Amboi- my grandson. the 100m scaffolding to reconstruct the way. Dior shop. I decided not to join
se, a narrow side street off the central From Boulevard de Clichy, it is easy its spire. After checking out the crowds and the queue and restock my autumn
Boulevard des Italiens. high prices in the Boulevards Saint wardrobe as I had already bought
The neon sign for ‘Lautrec Opera’ Germain and Saint- Michel (popular warm bedsocks and a cheap, silly
was, I assumed, a tribute to the for cheap meals during my own 1960 apron in Montmartre.
famous artist. student days), I headed back to a rea- At Jardin des Tuileries, remembering
I quickly discovered that Henri de sonably priced restaurant near ‘Lautrec’ ‘baguettes and beer’ picnics with Pat,
Toulouse-Lautrec actually lived here for confit de canard, a glass of Chablis I paused for a rest in the now-fading
and the hotel had an official plaque and people-watching. 16:00 sunshine.
to prove it. Then it was goodbye and my last walk,
Together with the buildings on either Day two: guinguette and goodbye up the Rue Royale and back to the short
side, it was part-residence, part-brothel. Our ambition to dance at a guinguette but sweet Boulevard des Italiens and my
Henri loved the girls in the house, was formed after a few glasses of little room which, like Paris, has seen a
especially one pint-sized girl, Mireille, champagne on our special anniversary, lot of action but wears it very well.
and declared: “These ladies make no and was top of my Paris to-do list.
demands and are not in the least bit The original name for the halls Have you made retirement plans to travel
conceited. I have at last found girls of comes from guinguet, a local sour in France? Share your list with us
my own size.” Sally also took in the sights of Notre-Dame and Sacré-Coeur light green wine. via news@connexionfrance.com

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 30 Heritage connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022

Revolution gave France a head for conservation

Today France leads Louvre Palace: its oldest part still standing above At one stage, the ACMH was the only
organisation with authority to oversee
ground, the Lescot Wing, dates from the 1540s
the way with heritage protected heritage projects.
The monument historique desig-
conservation but this nation can be conferred on buildings,
whole sites or specific objects, cover-
is due to a great extent ing everything from castles and
to its tumultuous past, cathedrals to archaeological remains

Photos: Riccardo Giordano

and religious art.
Photo: Paris Tourist Office / Sarah Sergent

discovers Victoria Gibson Categories have now been expanded

to include industrial, scientific and
FRANCE has many heritage sites but technical heritage, such as factories,
their excellent preservation has as railway infrastructure and cars.
much to do with the ‘vandalism’ of the Above and left: Victor Hugo’s former Excluding larger projects, such as
Revolution as with the efforts of the home on Guernsey after restoration Paris’s Grand Palais or the Château
monument historique scheme. monuments historiques is responsible de Villers-Cotterêts in Picardy, the
Riccardo Giordano, one of the 32 for assessing protected heritage, pro- average annual budget assigned to
Architectes en chef des monuments viding advice and sharing expertise. the upkeep and restoration of historic
historiques (ACMH), the official ing figure in the Revolution, came Mérimée asked each prefect to pro- They are leaders in conservation and monuments reaches, on average,
body which oversees work on historic to the defence of monuments in duce a list of local monuments that restoration, often overseeing projects nearly €300million.
sites, said: “France was one of the 1794, describing their destruction they felt needed priority restoration. on historic monuments. Mr Giordano became an architecte
places where the idea of conservation as vandalisme. Published in 1840, the list com- “We have a function and place in en chef after the 2018 competition and
of a monument was born, in its Victor Hugo (1802-1885) also con- prised 1,082 historic monuments, the French administration that is covers the Ain, Isère, Loire and Savoie
modern terms. demned their demolition in his poem including 934 buildings as well as quite peculiar, if not unique, because departments, among others.
“There’s the Age of Enlightenment, La bande noire, a name given to spec- objects such as the Bayeux Tapestry. we can work for other clients too,” While his work has included a range
but mostly it is the result of the demo- ulative, asset-stripping organisations The commission delegated the most said Mr Giordano. of exciting projects, one stands out
lition and destruction of the French in the 1790s that bought old buildings important restoration work to special- “This dates back to the 19th century. so far – and it is a fitting one.
Revolution, and the looting of ancient at knockdown prices to demolish and ist architects, setting up the ACMH. Most of us work nearly exclusively “I would say it’s the restoration of
buildings during that period.” sell off the building materials. The first competition to recruit on historical monuments or ancient the home of Victor Hugo on the
People sought to erase the visual He demanded a law for the protec- architects for it took place in 1893, buildings, but we may also work for island of Guernsey,” he said.
reminders of the Ancien Régime but tion of monuments. and the method is still practised today. clients other than the state. And then Hauteville House (pictured) was the
the ruthless attitude towards culturally In 1830, the minister of the interior Competitions to become a member when we intervene for the state, we writer’s home for nearly 15 years while
significant monuments, especially proposed the post of inspector of his- take place every seven to eight years, are civil servants.” in exile and where he wrote some of
those linked with feudalism, did not toric monuments, which was assigned coinciding with the French administra- To become an architecte en chef, his most famous works, including
sit well with everyone. to the writer Prosper Mérimée four tive calendar, and it is often considered individuals are expected to have a Les Misérables. Its interior was largely
“This vandalism progressively created years later. His mission was to classify one of the most challenging processes degree in architecture, and most also designed by Hugo himself and sympa-
a sort of conscience of the importance the buildings and to distribute funds in the civil service. opt for an education at the prestigious thetic renovation in 2018, including
of the losses, especially in terms of for their maintenance and restoration. Attached to the Culture Ministry Ecole de Chaillot (DSA) in Paris, as to its famous glazed look-out over
their artistic value,” said Mr Giordano. In 1837, the Commission des monu- and under the directeur général des well as many years of work experience St Peter Port, saw many of his personal
Abbé Grégoire (1750-1831), a lead- ments historiques was formed and patrimoines, an architecte en chef des on monuments of historic importance. touches restored.
 The Connexion December 2022
My mission to bring feel-good
design to poorer city suburbs
AN INTERIOR decorator is on
a mission to help people in low-
income areas feel better in their
homes – and thus generally.
Assetou Coulibaly has helped
around 30 people in predominantly
working-class Paris suburbs to
transform their living spaces.
She is able to offer the service for
free thanks to partnerships with
social housing providers.
The idea arose during lockdown in
2020. “I felt so good in my home, and
seeing in the media that certain
young people on the estates weren’t
playing along and were hanging
around outside, I thought, if they
don’t feel comfortable at home, it’s
understandable they don’t stay there.”
Ms Coulibaly, 36, was all too aware
of housing issues, having grown up
in Clichy-sous-Bois in working-class
Seine-Saint-Denis.
She realised the people living in
those areas were not the people she
was reaching with her interior deco-
rating business – so she created the
association A Chacun Son Cocon.
“I use decorating as a pretext to
help people realise they are the
masters of their apartments.
“I don’t want to give handouts.
I want people to participate.”
The idea is to show people how
they can transform their space, using
the furniture they already have.
connexionfrance.com
are ashamed of their interiors, she
added. “I want them to understand
we are there without judgment.”
The association organises DIY
workshops to meet and gain the trust
of residents before being invited into
their homes.
Despite the challenges, the team
recently expanded to include 10
Photo: Assetou Coulibaly
decorators, four interior designers
and a psychologist.
“When a flat is neglected, there is
usually a trauma behind it: a separa-
tion, a divorce, or the loss of a job.”
Assetou Coulibaly with a tenant who If a disorganised home can be the
received help from her association result of personal struggles, showing
Ms Coulibaly always dreamed of the flat a bit of love can have a big
being an interior decorator, but as impact on self-esteem, she said.
it was not an option at her school, “Sometimes I repaint a wall, and
she studied fashion design instead. I immediately call all my sisters,
She later worked as a salesperson because I’m so happy and I want to
for SFR before finally setting up her show off. I want the inhabitants to
own decorating business. feel the same way.
She said people in low-income “One woman said our support
neighbourhoods are often sceptical helped her overcome her depression,
of the services her association offers. and created a bond with her children.
“The priority is paying the bills, We helped her create a nest, and now
being able to feed the children. she regularly has film and popcorn
Buying a pot of paint to feel more nights with her daughters.”
comfortable doesn’t cross their minds. The association is currently active
“I would love to have a loudspeaker in the Paris region – mainly in
for the whole of France, and explain Aubervilliers, Torcy and Epinay-
that you can have access to this. That sous-Sénart – but is hoping to
you shouldn’t be afraid, we are just expand to the rest of France, most
there to help, at our level.” likely starting in Toulouse. You can
People are often resistant as they donate at achacunsoncocon.fr.
Brits aid Ukrainian families in France
A British-run
association has helped
30 Ukrainian refugees
settle in France.
Hayley Gilks created
Mayenne53 Ukraine
Assistance after
attending a friend’s
wedding, where she
got to know the
Ukrainian bride’s
friends and family.
After the Russian invasion, her friend bond with the young mother. “We
and his wife managed to get her close
family to France and Ms Gilks was
prompted to act after hearing horrific
stories from these new arrivals.
“An association in Brittany was send-
ing aid to Ukraine and we thought if
they were sending a vehicle, we could
send a minibus and bring people back.”
Following another trip to pick up
refugees from Germany, volunteers wel-
comed around 12 families in north west
Mayenne. Many stayed with host fam-
ilies, while some second-home owners
provided their holiday accommodation.
“Plenty of people volunteered to be
hosts, both French and English, but
once I understood the language was
much easier if they had English host
families, I prioritised that.
“For the first couple of months, they
received no asylum allowance, so the
association paid for everything. We
managed to buy some cars for them to
give them some independence.”
The oldest refugee was born in 1953,
while the youngest was born in Fougères centre was defaced with an SS logo.
hospital, as the mother had travelled to
France while eight months pregnant.
Community 31
Volunteers pose with Ukrainian families
Photo: Hayley Gilks
Ms Gilks struck up a particularly close
arrived 17 years ago, and two years later I
found myself pregnant in France without
family support. It is very difficult when
you can’t speak the language very well.”
Most of the families have now moved
into independent accommodation: two
in private rentals, and the local town
halls in Fougerolles-du-Plessis and
Buais provided free short-term housing.
The association helps the refugees to
apply for housing aid.
The association is now aiming to help
the remaining families move into their
own accommodation, while supporting
the others with their housing expenses.
To raise money, the volunteers plan to
attend local Christmas markets. “The
women are helping us to craft things,
and we will have Ukrainian Christmas
cards painted by one of our ladies.”
The initiative has not been met with
unanimous support, however. A local
supermarket pulled the plug on its
donation trolleys after receiving
complaints and a sign for the donation
You can donate or purchase a Ukrainian
(PDF) cookbook at ukraineassistance.org.
 32 Practical
Disabled couple told they use ‘too Dates to send Christmas
much heating’ for price protection gifts to and from France
A British couple living in France
has been told they cannot benefit
from the cap on gas price rises as
they consume too much energy.
Nigel Bartram, 69, has advanced
multiple sclerosis and uses a wheel-
chair, while his wife Caroline Varley,
68, previously suffered from a stroke.
“We need the heating on constantly
in cold and cooler weather because
of sitting still all day, every day,”
Mr Bartram said.
They received an email from Engie
in October saying they would not
benefit from the government’s gas
price shield when their contract
comes up for renewal in January
because this is reserved for house-
holds “whose consumption is less
than 30,000 kWh per year”.
Mr Bartram said they consumed
38,000 kWh last year, for a 210m²
house built in 2000. Only two of the
four bedrooms are regularly used.
“We replaced the boiler three years
ago to economise to the maximum
extent, and we recently had the heat-
ing engineer round to see if we could
turn the water temperature down.
“He said it’s already on the most
economical setting. There is nothing
more we can do.”
Their thermostat is set at 21.5C,
only in the room they currently
occupy. “That’s the lowest I can
tolerate, otherwise my feet get very
cold as a result of poor circulation.”
M A K I N G
connexionfrance.com
Photo: Nigel Bartram
Nigel Bartram has MS and needs
to use a lot of gas to stay warm
Regulated gas prices were frozen in
October 2021 to protect consumers
from rising market prices, and they
will be capped at a 15% rise in Jan-
uary. Electricity prices will rise by a
capped 15% in February.
This applies to those who are signed
up to state-regulated gas tariffs, while
the government states: “Those whose
contracts are expiring can subscribe
to a market offer with the provider
of their choice – these are also
eligible for the price shield.”
The 30,000 kWh limit was not
widely publicised, because it was not
explicitly mentioned in the legislation
that introduced the price shield.
Engie explained to The Connexion
that the 2019 Energy and Climate
law, which laid the groundwork for
the gradual abolition of the regulated
gas tariff by July 2023, introduced
Did you know?
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
Y O U R L I F E
this threshold. Only individual
households consuming less than
30,000 kWh, as well as single owners
of a building mainly used for habita-
tion consuming less than 150,000
kWh, and homeowners’ associations
of the same buildings, will continue
benefiting from the regulated tariff
until 2023.
According to Engie, this is the
definition used for the price shield in
2022. They also confirmed there are
no exceptions for disabilities.
“I feel pretty cheated, because there
are significant costs associated to
being disabled, and this would be yet
another one,” said Mr Bartram, who
is originally from London but now
lives in the Paris region.
“Far from being given help, we are
being punished as I don’t move.”
Engie did, however, say that the
current version of the 2023 budget
would apply the price protection to
households and building owners
“without a consumption ceiling”.
This could still change, as the
budget has not yet been officially
adopted.
The average household in France
consumes between 11,000 and 12,000
kWh of gas per year, according to
the Energy Regulatory Commission,
although this will vary greatly,
based on the size of the property
and whether gas is used for heating,
cooking, and/or hot water.
I N F R A N C E
The Connexion December 2022
People sending Christmas gifts to
and from the UK have been warned to
post them well in advance, with Royal
Mail strikes set to cause complications
over the festive period.
Members of the Communication
Workers Union announced their inten-
tion to strike on November 30 and
December 1, 9, 11, 14 , 15, 23 and 24
in a dispute over pay and conditions.
It follows strikes on November 24
and 25 to coincide with Black Friday.
Meanwhile, French postal service
La Poste has launched a large-scale
recruitment campaign, and is hoping
to hire 3,000 seasonal workers to
ensure presents arrive under the tree
in time for Christmas.
Colissimo parcels generally take
three to five days to arrive in the UK,
and five to eight days for the US. You
can estimate arrival times for other
destinations at tinyurl.com/postabroad.
Parcels can also be sent via
Chronopost, which usually offers
faster delivery: two days for the US
with Chrono Express.
Suggested delivery times might be
less reliable during the Christmas
rush, particularly if industrial action
continues in the UK. Here are the
recommended deadlines for sending
cards or gifts to France for them to
arrive before December 25:
UK to France
November 28: Royal Mail International
Economy
L E S S
France: +33 (0)805 03 00 01
UK: +44 (0)8451 23 84 23
Web: www.kentingtons.com
December 12: Parcelforce Global Value
December 14: Royal Mail International
Standard and International Tracking
and Signature services, and
Parcelforce Global Priority
December 20: Parcelforce Global
Express
US to France (USPS)
December 6: First Class Package and
Priority Mail International Services
December 13: Priority Mail Express
International Service
December 21: Global Express
Guaranteed Service
Receiving gifts in France
If family or friends from outside the
EU send you a parcel, you might be
asked to pay.
If the delivery worker does not pro-
vide a receipt, you can obtain a break-
down of the charges online at tinyurl.
com/5bnms7xd. You only need to
enter the tracking number and your
name, postcode and email address.
No VAT should be due on packages
worth less than €45, clearly marked as
gifts. Customs duty is due only on
orders worth more than €150. If VAT
or customs duty are owed, the trans-
porter may also charge a handling fee.
If you believe you have been incor-
rectly charged, it is possible to request
a refund either by calling La Poste’s
customer service on 3631, or contact-
ing it via email at the following web-
site: tinyurl.com/5ep7cv5s.
T A X I N G
 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com Practical: Money 33

The Connexion
Money / Tax page

Is gift tax due if Can I designate

our French home
daughter buys a as main residence?

Photo: Shutterstock_Standret
I AM an EU citizen (but not French) and my

car for father?

spouse is British. We have a house in the
UK and another in France which we bought
in 2015. We are retired and our only income
is pensions. We are both currently within
the UK tax system. We spend four months a
year in our French home and the remainder
I HAVE read a number of articles recently in the UK or otherwise outside of France.
about gift tax in France but it always Send your financial queries to Can I declare our French home as being my
assumes the gift is from parent to child main residence for tax purposes?
or grandchild. My daughter wants me to
Hugh MacDonald at If I do, will it be exempt from taxe foncière
replace my old diesel car with a new
money@connexionfrance.com. Please ensure you mark and capital gains tax because I am an EU
electric car and has offered to pay for it. your emails for the attention of Mr MacDonald citizen? My pensions are below the personal
She lives in the UK and I am resident in tax allowance level in the UK but I do have a
France. Would this be subject to gift tax drawdown pension that I have not yet
and, if so, at what rate? R.W.
Do premium bond winnings have to be accessed. My spouse is in a similar position
but has accessed his drawdown pension, but

declared in France if they are reinvested?

IN FRANCE, gifts made during one’s lifetime not to the point where tax is due. S.L.
still fall – give or take a few differences – under
standard inheritance tax laws. Fiscal residency – meaning in which country
The only exemption for gifts made to parents IF YOU have a win on NS&I premium bonds the French Loto (national lottery), in a tombola one is taxed – is not simply a matter of choice
is the standard inheritance tax exemption: for but the money is automatically reinvested organised by an association, or in a casino or a but is dependent on specific rules.
immediate ancestors and descendants, this is into buying more bonds, is it subject to tax horse race. It is seen as a one-off amount, rather For France, fiscal residency depends on:
€100,000. Bear in mind that in France it is the in France if you are resident here? R.F. than revenue in the normal sense. n Having your home in France, as opposed
beneficiary who is taxed on anything over the However, French tax offices have in the past to just a secondary residence;
allowance. A gift of a car would be seen as a UNFORTUNATELY, yes, it does not matter stated that UK premium bond winnings do Or, if that cannot be determined, then:
form of don manuel (an ordinary person-to- if you take the cash amount or if it goes into not benefit under this heading. n Spending more of the year in France than
person gift, as opposed to one formalised by purchasing new bonds. It is still seen as a Some financial professionals say this is anywhere else, or otherwise;
a notaire) and this should be declared, either declarable and potentially taxable gain. because it is not an ordinary ‘lottery’ win as n Having one’s ‘centre of economic interests’
online or on paper, by yourself to your local Premium bond winnings are not seen by your initial stake is not at risk. Your bonds in France, or otherwise;
tax office (see tinyurl.com/FranceDeclareGift). France as having any specific tax-free arrange- retain their cash-in value for the amount they n Running a business from France.
According to HMRC rules, in the UK large ment, as in the UK, as this is a UK advantage. were bought for, though no interest accrues on Residency complications can arise but for
gifts to individuals do not have to be declared As a general rule, winnings from lotteries and this – it is replaced by the chance of winning most people the main criterion is having one’s
to the UK tax service at the time of gifting, games of chance are not taxable in France and, in the regular draws that are held. home – in the sense of a principal private
though if the giver were to die, they might on the face of it, you would think this could If in doubt, you could double-check with your residence – in France.
need to be considered as part of inheritance tax apply also in the case of a premium bond win, own tax office, as to its stance. The simplest As such, the matter of where to declare your
calculations at a later date, especially if the as it could be seen as similar to a lottery. way to do this is by a direct message in your income – and potentially pay tax – is not a
death occurs within seven years of the gift. This is the case, for example, if you win on personal space on the tax website. choice but a result of where your main home is.
As you are in France for only four months of
the year (unless, possibly, you were not resident
Can notaire refuse land purchase money from a bank in Luxembourg? as long as this in any one other country), it does
not sound as if you would meet the criteria for
I LIVE near the French border with Luxem- risk involved for the person respons- including those seen as perhaps offering certain being French fiscally-resident.
bourg and have a bank account and savings ible for looking out for cases of fraud and tax advantages, such as Luxembourg. So you would not have the right to declare
accounts in Luxembourg as I worked there. money laundering. It is a rather daft situation as all that is needed your income in France rather than in the UK.
I am now planning to move and am buying The regulation applies to all funds, especially is for you to prove the origin or provenance of Exemption from capital gains tax is linked to
land in Brittany. However, the notaire there funds coming into France from outside. the funds, but essentially, yes, the recipient of this. As a general rule, it is applicable to second
refuses to accept money from a Luxem­bourg The issue for a notaire in the event of funds funds can refuse to accept them, especially from homes (including the only home in France of a
bank. As both countries are in the EU, is coming from the sale of one property to buy outside of France. non-resident), although subject to reductions
this allowed? J.T. another is simple enough. The best option is to transfer the money for length of ownership.
Where incoming funds are not from a property needed to a French bank, providing the bank There is complete exemption from tax and
THIS is not an uncommon issue and is linked to sale, however, the notaire does have to effect some with the proof or provenance of the origin of social charges after 30 years’ ownership.
money laundering and fiscal fraud regulations, money-laundering checks, and if these are incor- the funds. This way, it is the bank that does As to being exempt from taxe foncière, the
and especially follows a European and several rectly carried out and money laundering or fiscal the money-laundering and fiscal-fraud checks. main condition for this would be if you were
French laws on the subject, the last of which fraud can subsequently be proven, the notaire is Then you could transfer these funds from the both over 75 and your joint income was less
became effective in March 2021. then seen as having been complicit in this. French bank account to the notaire, although than €17,297.
All professionals, including notaires, are bound This aspect is even more the case when the the notaire might nevertheless still want to see Although most reductions and exemptions
by the laws, but one of the issues is the degree of incoming funds come from particular countries, their provenance. related to local taxes apply only to residents,
the French authorities have stated in the past
The Connexion welcomes queries and publishes a selection with answers every The information on these pages is of a general nature. You should not that this one can apply to non-residents’ second
edition. However, please note that we cannot enter into correspondence on act or refrain from acting on it without taking professional advice on the
specific facts of your case. No liability is accepted in respect of these homes, but you do have to request it.
money topics. Queries may be edited for length and style. Due to the sensitive articles. These articles are intended only as a general guide. Nothing herein In both cases, the exemptions have nothing
nature of topics we do not publish full names or addresses on these pages. constitutes actual financial advice. to do with being an EU citizen.
 34 Practical: Money
Budget season is a good time to review tax planning
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.
It is budget season across much of Europe and,
unsurprisingly, a strong focus is on reducing the
impact of inflation. France is no exception.
We have seen many different approaches. Here
in France, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire
stated: “We do not want to increase taxes and we
want to protect households [from inflation].”
In contrast, our southern neighbour Spain
announced plans to introduce a new temporary
wealth tax (it already imposes one wealth tax),
the ‘solidarity tax on large fortunes’, while cutting
income tax for lower earners. The aim is to redis-
tribute wealth during the cost of living crisis.
The biggest budget story this autumn, though,
has to be the UK’s, which started by unveiling
the largest package of tax cuts in 50 years,
followed by one U-turn, then another, then a
major reversal, including a brand new chancellor
and prime minister.
Projet de loi de finances 2023
While presenting the 2023 finance bill, Mr Le
Maire was clear that France’s “most important
and urgent challenge” was to bring down
inflationary pressures.
The government has budgeted €45billion to
help families and businesses with energy prices
and had already announced it was capping gas
and electricity price increases at 15% next year.
No new spending will be approved unless it
connexionfrance.com
has been budgeted to the nearest euro, and only
healthcare spending will continue to increase.
With regards to taxation, the only notable news
from this budget was the 5.4% increase in every
income tax bracket to index them with inflation.
This results in reduced tax bills, although the tax
rates themselves have not been cut.
France usually adjusts the income tax brackets
for inflation, but the current levels of inflation
make a more noticeable difference.
For example, a single person with no children
(who in tax terms counts as one unit or one part)
will start paying tax at 11% when their income
exceeds €10,778, up from the current €10,226.
The income bracket for 30% tax is now applied
to earnings above €27,479, as opposed to €26,071
as it was previously.
The aim here is to protect people from having
inflation-related salary increases being wiped out
by taxation.
Increasing the thresholds also means less tax is
paid by those whose income has not increased.
The new income tax bands apply to 2022 income
declared on your tax return in spring 2023.
Social charges remain the same as this year:
9.7% for employment income; 9.1% for pension
income (unless on very low income or exempt
because you hold Form S1); and 17.2% for
investment income and gains.
The latter is reduced to 7.5% if you are covered
by the health system of another EU/EEA country
or have Form S1.
Away from income tax, 2023 is the year the
taxe d’habitation is eliminated completely for
main homes. The gradual reform began in 2018
but 20% of households are still paying it. The
budget also confirmed the removal of the TV
licence (contribution à l’audiovisuel public).
One reform that has been shelved for now
because of the current economic situation is
The Connexion December 2022
succession tax. During his presidential cam-
paign, Emmanuel Macron pledged to increase
the tax-free deduction for inheritances between
parents and children and to lower taxes for other
relatives, such as stepchildren. It is possible that
some MPs might try to reinstate this during the
approval process.
French budgets go through various parliament-
ary debate – or can be forced through using a
mechanism known as article 49.3, as was the
case with this budget in the lower house – and
approval stages before being finalised. We must
generally wait until the end of the year for
confirmation of the final finance bill.
The UK mini-budget
On September 23, the then-UK chancellor Kwasi
Kwarteng revealed his first budget, with the aim
of bolstering growth by reducing inflation and
taxation. To say it was not well received by the
markets is an understatement.
The biggest surprise of his budget – that the
additional income tax rate of 45% levied on
earnings over £150,000 would be abolished – was
withdrawn after 10 days. But that was just the
start, as Mr Kwarteng was fired as chancellor and
within days his replacement, Jeremy Hunt, had
reversed many of the other tax cuts.
At the time of writing, the only UK tax cuts to
have been maintained are:
n National Insurance Contribution rates
reduced by 1.25% from November 2022;
n Stamp Duty Land Tax threshold for England
and Northern Ireland residential property raised
from £125,000 to £250,000, and £425,000 for
first-time buyers;
n 100% Stamp Duty Land Tax relief for sites
bought for use or development for commercial
purposes or new residential developments.
The basic rate of income tax will remain at
20%, and not be cut to 19%, “indefinitely until
economic circumstances allow it to be cut”.
The cuts to dividend tax rates will no longer go
ahead and corporation tax will increase to 25%
from April. The freeze on alcohol duty was also
scrapped, as was a proposed re-introduction of a
right for visitors from abroad to VAT refunds at
the airport for some of their holiday shopping
(eg. for clothes), scrapped in 2021 after Brexit.
The chancellor explained that while enabling
people to keep more of their earnings was “a
deeply held Conservative value”, it was not right
to fund tax cuts at a time “when markets are
rightly demanding commitments to sustainable
public finances”.
Even the original mini-budget, with all its tax
cuts, had made no mention of the thresholds.
As announced in the spring 2021 budget, the
income tax personal allowance, capital gains tax
allowance, both inheritance tax nil rate bands,
and pensions Lifetime Allowance are frozen
until 2026. Freezing allowances is often referred
to as taxation by stealth, since we end up paying
more tax over the period.
Budget season is a good prompt to review your
tax planning each year. Consider whether any
rules have changed since your last review, and
check you are making the most of the available
allowances and tax-efficient opportunities.
For the best results, and to make sure you have
not missed anything, take personalised advice
from a cross-border specialist with understand-
ing of both tax regimes.
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 2022 connexionfrance.com Work / Ideas 35
Sugar beet takes off as jet fuel substitute
by Brian McCulloch France, Denmark and Sweden,
now require all jet fuel sold to
A French firm is due to be have at least 1% of SAF in it,
certified this month to sell jet which will probably rise to 3%.
fuel made from sugar beet “However, unless kerosene
pulp in a step towards reducing starts to be taxed [jet fuel is
CO2 emissions from commer- not currently taxed at all
cial aircraft. under an international

Photo: Ineos
Most jets burn huge amounts agreement negotiated in the
of kerosene, with large twin- 1940s, which has not been

French-built Land Rover stand-in

engined aircraft frequently challenged], or countries insist
using four litres per second jet fuel has more SAF in it, the

Photo: Global Bioenergies

of flight.
The sustainable aviation fuel,
made by fermenting the sugar
beet pulp, will replace up to
50% of mineral oil-based
kerosene, although only up
to 3% to begin with.
Marc Delcourt, managing
director of Global Bioenergies,
which perfected the method,
said: “It is not possible to
replace more than 50% because
of the specifications that are
laid down for jet fuel.
“There are aromatics, for
example, in kerosene, which
engine manufacturers say are
essential for keeping some
seals lubricated, and they have
no interest in designing new
engines to get around the
problems because to do so
will cost billions of euros.
“To be commercially viable,
the fuel will have to be able
to be used by all the old jets
out there too.” Jet fuel is the
carbon footprint of jet travel
will not change.”
Most paperwork for the
finally rolls off the production line
Global Bioenergies fuel has The first Ineos Grenadier – vehicles in a pub called The
already been done, and the 4x4s designed as Land Rover Grenadier. He had been talking
Marc Delcourt after a sustainable fuel test flight product has been tested replacements – rolled off the about the end of Land Rover
second, longer-term product in future will be to provide extensively by all the main production line in Hambach, production and how difficult it
on which Global Bioenergies isobutene for jet fuel.” engine manufacturers, as Moselle, this autumn after was to find 4x4s with similar
has based its business plan. One factory is already in the well as Boeing and Airbus. Covid delays. off-road capacity and utility.
The first money-spinner is process of being built in France, The company even flew a They should be with custom- Spotting a gap in the market,
in cosmetics. The chemical and it will initially produce 100 small, turboprop aerobatics ers in December, but it is he set out to design and build
isobutene, obtained by the firm’s tonnes of isobutene a year. plane from Germany to France unlikely many will be bought by the vehicles, creating Ineos
patented process of fermenting There are plans to build a using its fuel in a demonstra- French motorists as the €69,490 Automotive in the process.
sugar beet pulp and the base for 2,000 tonne-a-year factory by tion flight. asking price will have around Ineos bought the Hambach
its sustainable aviation fuel, is 2025, and another 30,000- Mr Delcourt said Global €40,000 in malus taxes (for pol- factory used to make Smart cars
also highly sought-after as a ‘dry tonne one by the end of the Bioenergies is well placed luting vehicles) added to it. from Daimler in 2020 at a low
oil’ in long-lasting cosmetics. decade. They will be situated to be the main supplier of sus- Currently, company cars price, along with €500million
L’Oréal has taken a majority next to sugar beet refineries. tainable aviation fuel for jets. escape the same level of tax- of equipment and a trained
stake in Global Bioenergies to Even with bulk supplies, “We have rivals who mainly ation, and a two-seat model is workforce. Many workers were
ensure it has a supply of the sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) use recycled cooking oil, who on sale for €60,950. Firms can present at the ceremony to
company’s isobutene for a will be up to three times more are limited by their ability to buy a five-seater from €68,463, welcome the first Grenadier
range of bio-cosmetics, with expensive than fossil fuel ones. collect cooking oil and by but the back seats have less off the production line.
the brand ‘Last’ being set up “Some airlines have said they people eating chips. space for passengers than the The vehicles have BMW-
specifically to market them. will use as much SAF as poss- “In contrast, our process, model aimed at private owners. sourced six-cylinder diesel or
“It is a good high-value prod- ible to reduce their carbon based on sugar beet pulp, can Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO of petrol motors and automatic
uct, but our process can be footprint,” said Mr Delcourt. also be used with wheat straw Ineos, a British chemicals com- gearboxes. A hydrogen fuel cell
scaled up and the bulk market “And some countries, notably or wood chips.” pany, was inspired to make the model is in development too.

Drones can replace scaffolding

to clean house roofs and walls Decades of wealth
management
A British man living in France has found a
novel use for drones – to clean moss and other
unsightly stains from roofs and house walls.
James Richardson, based in Bergerac, Dordogne,
was working as a sales rep for a British firm when
he saw a TV report about drones.
“The penny just dropped, and I realised that it
was something I could do,” he said.
“I needed a change and this was a way of
advice in France.
getting out and setting up my own business.”
Photo: Jypex Drone

As with many things in France, rules and regu-

lations concerning drones are complicated, and
piloting one over 900g requires a special licence.
The drones used by Mr Richardson weigh
5kg and carry a hosepipe linked to a pump
and reservoir on the ground. They are made
by a company near Perpignan and cost between
€10,000 and €30,000 each.
“I hadn’t even flown a model aircraft before,
so the training started from scratch with small
drones before I moved on to larger ones.”
The four-week training course, which took
place at Bordeaux airport, cost €5,000.
The drone’s batteries typically last for 10
minutes of work before having to be changed,
but for Mr Richardson that is enough.
“We work with GPS mapping and have a
camera on the drone. You need to concentrate
hard, especially when you are doing a roof
where, because of the angles or things like
chimneys, you cannot see the drone all the time.”
Since the war in Ukraine, an additional com-
plication is that the drones, which use signals
from both Russian and American GPS satellites,
sometimes lose the Russian signal when they
are switched off for military reasons.
“You have to be ready to take over full manual
Blevins Franks can help you make the
The drones spray chemicals to kill off any moss
most of your wealth and living in France.
Talk to the people who know
“I recently did a church where the quote for
scaffolding alone was €60,000. Obviously, we Our advisers live locally and provide
integrated financial advice covering -
0 805 112 163 (N0 Vert)
could come in with a much better price,” he said.
“But many ordinary houses also need to have Tax planning | minimising tax on
france@blevinsfranks.com
their roofs de-mossed. I used to get up there income, capital gains, wealth, pensions
every five years or so, always breaking a tile or and inheritances. www.blevinsfranks.com
two, which had to be replaced. It is much easier
have someone else do it from the ground.” Estate planning | helping ensure the
Once sprayed, the chemicals used take around right money goes to the right people at
five months to be fully effective. They have been the right time.
approved both by the French environment Investments | designing portfolios to suit
ministry and departmental architects who have
your circumstances and goals.
to be consulted for work on historic monuments.
Jobs have included cleaning chateaux, sprucing UK pensions | exploring your options to
up properties before they are sold, and even a find the best solution for you.
public swimming pool renovation in Paris.
“That was intense, because you do not get any
GPS at all inside, and space was tight, but it INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVICE • INVESTMENTS • ESTATE PLANNING • PENSIONS
worked,” Mr Richardson said.
Things do not always go smoothly. 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
“On one job, I was suddenly confronted by an 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
angry man in underpants who rushed outside Malta. BFWML also provides taxation advice; its tax advisers are fully qualified tax specialists. Blevins Franks France SASU (BFF), is registered with ORIAS, registered

control at any time,” said Mr Richardson. accusing me of photographing his property. 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
The business case for using drones to clean “He would not be placated and called the 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).
143-fr

Blevins Franks Trustees Limited is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority for the administration of retirement schemes. This promotion has
buildings is particularly strong if the only alterna- gendarmes, who checked my licence and told been approved and issued by BFWML.

tive is hiring scaffolding or a high-lift platform. him it was all fine.”

 36 Work connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022

Waiters wanted in
Left: Mourad Dembri learned
his craft on the job but now
offers formal training to new

post-Covid boom
employees who are looking
to work as machinists

Right: Payote’s limited-

SOME 4.5 million new jobs
will be available in France by
October 2023, according to
figures from Adecco-Analytics,
a research company attached to
the Adecco employment agency.
Hotels and restaurants are
among main recruiters.
edition Queen Elizabeth II
trying to get the long-term range got good publicity
unemployed back into work.
In a list of the 20 most in-
demand jobs, waiters are on
top, followed by warehouse CRAFTS
workers and kitchen staff. Many
companies will probably be
looking for technical sales-
in focus
Espadrille maker

Espadrille firm uses French

Franck Delvau, president of
the Union des Métiers et des
Industries de l’Hôtellerie for
Paris and Ile de France, told
The Connexion: “The first thing
people too, the research shows.
Adecco-Analytics estimates
three-quarters of restaurants in
France are looking for waiters,
with Paris and its surrounds

know-how and Queen’s face

we are looking for is savoir-être
(interpersonal skills), and after
that, savoir-faire.
“That is, we are keen to find
motivated people who will turn
up for shifts and are prepared
to work at weekends and in the
evening, even if they have no
training and little experience.
“There is also the possibility
of rapid promotion.
“You can start as a waiter,
move to manager of a terrace,
and then to front of house
quickly, with accompanying
pay rises if you are keen.”
Adecco-Analytics expects
43% of job opportunities in
2023 will be permanent posts
(CDI contracts) and 30% will be
time-limited (CDD contracts).
The rest is likely to be agency
work on interim contracts.
At the same time, unemploy-
ment remains high in France,
with around 2.3 million people
looking for a job (7.4% of the
working population), according
to the government statistics
where most of the jobs will be
found, followed by Auvergne-
Rhône-Alpes.
Mr Delvau said the employee
shortage was being felt in the
industry even before Covid hit.
During lockdowns, some
restaurants were unable to put
staff who were not on CDI
contracts on the government’s
chômage partiel scheme, where
80% of salaries were paid.
“Many establishments found
staff did not want to come back
because they had found other
work,” he said. “And at the
same time, some longstanding
workers found getting back
into the rhythm hard, and have
either gone part-time or left the
industry altogether.”
Wages in the industry were
raised in April and now almost
all serving and kitchen staff
earn substantially more than
the Smic minimum wage,
said Mr Delvau.
“We had a tremendous tourist
season in 2022 and everything

agency Insee. Adecco says it
will partner with organisations
suggests it will continue. If any-
one wants it, the work is there.”
From cutting and gluing the canvas to sewing labels, each step is carried out in the workshop by passionate craftspeople
by Théophile Larcher
Call Mourad Dembri a
couturier and he will probably
insist he is nothing of the sort.
“I use sewing techniques and
I know how to sew but I am
more of a machinist,” he said.
Mr Dembri is workshop
supervisor for Payote, which
designs, assembles and sells
espadrilles. The firm was
recently splashed over the
French media after receiving
an explosion of orders for its
eye-catching espadrille tribute
to Queen Elizabeth II.
You might have seen them
in magazines, but it is unlikely
you are wearing a pair since
only 500 of the limited edition
were made in the company’s
150m² workshop in Mauléon,
Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
Payote is based in south west
France’s espadrille heartland.
The footwear originated in
the 14th century in nearby
Catalonia, where espadrilles
(espardenyas, to give them
their ancient Catalan name)
were worn by soldiers, peasants
and anyone in need of cheap,
practical shoes.
The word derives from esparto,
the Mediterranean grass trad-
itionally used to make their
braided soles. Over time,
however, the industry slowly
transitioned to jute to cut costs
and, as a result, mass produc-
tion shifted to Bangladesh, the
world’s largest jute producer.
Payote has kept espadrille
manufacturing close to home,
and Mr Dembri said it is
immensely satisfying to see
each completed pair of shoes.
They take from 10 to 15
minutes to assemble, with
several Payote employees
taking turns at various points
on the assembly line, and sell
for around €40.
First, however, the firm’s
graphic design department
comes up with unique prints
for the organic cotton canvas,
which is dyed with vegetable
ink. The fabric can then be cut
to size with hydraulic presses.
The insole of the espadrille
is made of rope, which guaran-
tees comfort and durability.
The outer sole, however, is
flat, and formed from recycled
vulcanised rubber.
Canvas uppers – what
Mr Dembri calls a chausson or
tige – are glued on to the soles
to complete the espadrille.
He then starts sewing the
seam à l’italienne, a technique
borrowed from Italian fashion
designers with one thread com-
ing from the top and another
from the bottom with a bobbin.
“This is the most enjoyable
part of the process because you
really see the espadrille taking
shape,” he said.
However, it is also the slowest
part. Payote is capable of pro-
ducing only 100 espadrilles a
day by using machinists in this
way. The total would jump to
1,000 if the company focused
solely on the processes up to
this point.
Nevertheless, Mr Dembri said
the effort is worth it, producing
a much stronger seam than can
be found on other espadrilles
from different workshops.
Despite being in the job
for more than two years now,
Mr Dembri still gets a thrill
coming to work.
“Every day is different,”
he said.
He fell into the role by
chance, having run his own
rugby shirt business in
Perpignan for 15 years before.
Through this, he already
knew Payote’s CEO Olivier
Gelly professionally.
When the Covid pandemic
struck, Mr Gelly came knock-
ing on his door for fabric
to create masks to support
the health industry. The pair
worked twice a week for three
months from 7:00 to 21:00,
and sometimes as late as 1:00.
It was only a matter of time
before Mr Gelly officially
Photos: Payote
offered Mr Dembri a position
in his burgeoning espadrille
workshop.
Mr Dembri learned on the
job, but formal training exists
after completing a Certificat
d’aptitude professionnelle (CAP)
in carpentry, cabinet-making
or locksmithing.
Mr Dembri trains incoming
machinists on every step of
the espadrille process. One has
already finished the training,
while two more are still being
supervised.
Rising transport costs and
a growing focus on making
things locally have convinced
Mr Dembri that France needs
more machinists over the
coming years.
“I hope there will be many
Mourad Dembris in the future.
Machinists are essential-work-
ers,” he said.
He may be right: demand
for espadrilles is certainly high.
Payotte says it has had orders
in the past numbering in the
millions, including from
supermarket giants E Leclerc
and Monoprix, as well as
flagship carrier Air France.
The company is currently
looking to expand, eyeing a
plot of land to build a much
larger 1,500m² factory capable
of producing one million
espadrilles a year.
 The Connexion December 2022 connexionfrance.com Property 37

Fortified Briançon repels Property Watch

Department 38:

invaders – but not tourists

in
Isère
DEPARTMENTAL CAPITAL: Grenoble
MAIN CITIES/towns: Saint-Martin-d’Hères,
Echirolles, Vienne, Bourgoin-Jallieu, Voiron

Architecture At 1,326 metres above sea level, Briançon is France’s highest town Formerly the province of Dauphine, Isère has the sprawling
conglomeration of Grenoble as its capital, with its 450,000

of France...
population making it the largest alpine city.
Grenoble is surrounded by four mountain ranges (the

Briançon ByTHEOPHILE
Vercors, Chartreuse, Taillefer and Belledonne) and has a
reputation for being the coldest city in France in winter, while
LARCHER enjoying 30C summers most years.

Photo: Office du Tourisme Briançon / Alpesphotographies.com

Towns and cities in Isère are among the richest in France,
with lots of high-technology industry, universities, farming
INHABITANTS of Briançon in south east
France are proud of the fact that their city and tourism keeping the population in work and attracting
has never been captured by enemies. well-educated incomers.
Situated at an altitude of 1,326 metres, at Property speculators cater for this market – there are lots
the meeting point of five valleys and close of ads for houses to be built on plots of land near Grenoble,
to the border with Italy, it also boasts of with prices of between €250,000 and €300,000 for a 100m²
being the highest town in France. property with tiny garden.
Attacking this Hautes-Alpes outpost was There are few bargains to be had below €50,000 –
never going to be easy. Troops would first maybe small village houses in more isolated parts needing
have to negotiate the mountainous terrain, complete restoration, but most ads at this level are for viager
Photo: Office du Tourisme Briançon / OT Serre Chevalier Vallée Briançon

as well as battling through snow and wind. investment properties. In the €50,000 to €100,000 range,
On reaching their destination, they viager investments still predominate, but you start to get
would have been met by some formidable some old farmhouses, with barns to restore – most having
fortifications, which were consolidated in
steeply pitched roofs to deal with winter snow.
the 18th century by the celebrated military
architect Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. Transport-wise, Grenoble has three autoroutes heading

Photo: Office du Tourisme Briançon / Alpesphotographies.com

The upper town, or Vauban citadel (Cité north west, north east and south, with good departmental
Vauban), is Briançon’s jewel – an 11th- roads winding through the hills in other directions. TGVs
century settlement encircled by multiple go direct to Marseille, Lille and Nantes, while Paris-bound
fortifications to protect its population from passengers usually take TER trains to Lyon first. The main
invaders. It earned Unesco World Heritage airport near Grenoble receives a boost every winter with low-
Site recognition in 2008. cost airlines bringing mainly British holidaymakers in to ski.
Because of Briançon’s strategic location,
it has been settled and fortified since
Gallo-Roman times. However, beefing
What your money buys
up defences became a priority after it was
threatened by the Duke of Savoy in 1692. Above: Grande Rue leads to the centre
Right: The twin-towered church of Notre
Under €370,000
Enter Vauban, who personally advised
Louis XIV on fortification efforts, or an Dame and Saint Nicolas dominates
‘iron belt’, all along France’s borders to Hard to miss near here is the 18th-cen- These days, Briançon is not nearly as
better protect the territory. tury collegiate church of Notre Dame and inaccessible as it once was, thanks largely
Dominique Le Brun, journalist and Saint Nicolas, built to Vauban’s plans and to the advent of railways.
author of a book about Vauban, said: boasting two stone belltowers topped with From the 1930s to 1970s, almost the whole
“Briançon was France’s most strategic site domes and an impressive sundial. territory was covered by night train services
since it overlooked five valleys that led Vauban’s idea was to build the church in and Paris-Briançon remains one of the most
to Montgenèvre, near the Savoy border, the heart of the city and its fortifications famous routes. It has even inspired a new
the Provence and Rhône regions, and so that the Duke of Savoy, a devout book from popular French writer Philippe
Grenoble. Securing Briançon was Christian, would think twice about Besson, called simply Paris-Briançon.
like putting a lock on France’s attacking a religious building. It is one of only two remaining night One-bed apartment in the heart of A spacious three-bed house with
entire south east.” Briançon’s tourist office is also train services, having resisted efforts from Les Deux Alpes with balcony and pool, landscaped grounds of
Vauban started with construc- located near here, in a Renais- successive governments to shut it down. stunning views, close to the pistes. 1,940m², and views of Mont Pilat.
tion of several forts around sance building dating from 1575 This is thanks largely to savvy Briançon This apartment has a beautiful living A few minutes from the Rhône in
the town, designed as outposts. and one of the town’s oldest, mayors emphasising how important the room, a bedroom with large closets, Sablons, this south-facing house has
and an alcove large enough to a Jacuzzi, fully equipped summer
These included Trois Têtes and having survived multiple fires. service is for nearby ski resorts. accommodate a double bed, which kitchen, plus a separate office which
Rambouillet. On reaching thus far, Visitors will find it hard to resist In recent years, Briançon’s fortifications can be closed by a sliding door. could be converted into an apartment.
enemies would be funnelled towards Pont buying one of the ubiquitous marmot cud- have been harnessed for more than €214,000 Ref: A14292 €370,000 Ref: A10340
d’Asfeld, the only accessible road and built dly toys – the region’s animal mascot – as tourism, serving as a billboard for protest
from 1729 to 1734 across a picturesque they are displayed in many shop windows banners. They have increasingly been used
gorge of the Durance.
The town itself is surrounded by thick
and on market stalls.
Feast your eyes, too, on Cité Vauban’s
as such by Tous migrants, an apolitical
movement, to denounce the town’s lack
More than €865,000
walls, above which stands the imposing stunning views of the mountains. Locals of migrant shelters.
Fort des Salettes, built between 1709 and all have their favourite places to do so, The town’s defences have also been re-
1712 and dominating Briançon at some whether it be Porte Méane, Place Médecin imagined for Briançon’s recently overhauled
1,538 metres high. Général Blanchard, Porte de la Durance or logo (pictured, left).
These mammoth architectural efforts Fort du Château in the shadow of Antoine In 2016, a decision was made to replace
give Briançon “a soul”, said Corinne Clivio, Bourdelle’s bronze La France sculpture. the generic picture-postcard one featuring
Cité Vauban tour guide since 1993. Over the years, Briançon has extended mountains, sky and sun for something that
“There is always something new to outside of its fortified perimeter towards better reflected the town.
discover or rediscover, often thanks to the base of the hill. However, around 500 Nicolas Petit, whose former company
renovation work.” locals still remain in the old town, despite Studio Havana was chosen to redesign the
Once through the Porte de Pignerol gate- its inaccessibility by car and the lack of logo, told The Connexion he went back to A magnificent 537m² alpine A superb, spacious 18th century
way, you are in the old town proper. light inside apartments. Vauban’s original plans. chateau, comprising nine well- manor house with convertible barn,
In front are the two downhill streets of “The relationship we have with Cité The logo’s shape is therefore very geomet- appointed individual apartments. two gites, and 20 acres of land.
Grande Rue and Rue du Temple. Vauban is complex,” said Ms Clivio. ric, with vertical lines representing the link Sitting in a private garden of 6,780m² Located near the mountains of the
Grande Rue is one of the town’s most “Most gravitate towards lower Briançon, between the upper and lower town, the with garage, annexe, and parking for Basque Country in a magnificent
famous sights and is lined with attractive but it has not lost its history.” roadway, the town as a crossroads of five 12 vehicles. Located in the traditional setting, this historic estate will
old buildings. It is often referred to as La She points out that Briançon has not valleys, and the city’s famous sundial. village of Oz-en-Oisans, in the Alpe delight lovers of peace and nature.
d’Huez Grandes Rousses ski area. One hour from the Spanish border.
Grande Gargouille (‘The Great Gargoyle’). suffered the same fate as many other Mr Petit moved to Briançon around 10
The word means both gargoyle and French fortified towns, where military years ago, attracted by the high number €865,000 Ref: 114143NDY38 €920,000 Ref: A15749
gurgling, and also refers to a small drain buildings were destroyed to make way for of cultural events the town offers. Properties available through Leggett Immobilier
flowing with water in the centre of the modern infrastructure and housing. “Cité Vauban is an oxymoron,” he said. frenchestateagents.com Tel: 05 53 56 62 54
road, originally used to fight fires. An army presence continued at Fort des “Briançon is a fortified town, but it feels
Both Grande Rue and Rue du Temple Trois Têtes until 2009, just months after it as if these fortification were designed to Next month: We look at a selection of departments
take you to Place d’Armes, the Cité’s heart. was awarded Unesco status. defend its intrinsic quality of openness.”
38 PRACTICAL: Property
LegalNotes
Tips for sharing out French assets in a will
Q: I am British but live in France.
Most of my assets are in France
and my relatives are in the UK.
I have made no will so if I died
my assets would go to family by
intestacy. If I make one, do you
have tips on the share-out?
A: There is no need to
create a detailed inventory
of assets to establish exact-
ly what each beneficiary
should inherit. Indeed, doing
so could be counter-produc-
tive, especially where you
are thinking of distributing
among a wide group of
beneficiaries: if that one
item you envisaged leaving
to a particular person is lost
or damaged before you die,
they might inherit nothing.
One option might be to
declare that you are dividing
your estate between a num-
ber of named beneficiaries,
stating the proportion
passing to each one.
When the estate comes
to be distributed, they can
agree on who gets what.
Note that the process of
distributing an estate in
France is likely to be differ-
ent from in England, where
a will would name executors
Tel: +44 (0)113 393 1930  www.heslop-platt.co.uk
contact@heslop-platt.co.uk
Can I deduct furniture from notaire fees?
Q: I have been told you can de-
duct furniture from notaire fees
when buying a house. Is this true
and how does valuation work?
A: Notaire fees are based
on the value of the property,
not other goods the seller
includes. In the case of a fit-
ted kitchen, you can deduct
the price of electrical goods,
such as a dishwasher and
fridge, from the price.
Beds, mattresses, tables,
chairs, freestanding cup-
boards, garden furniture,
swimming pool tools and
a Jacuzzi can also be
deducted. But the price of
fitted furniture, such as cup-
boards and work surfaces,
cannot be deducted.
Baths, hot water systems,
showers, chimneys, fixed
mirrors, panelling, fitted
Tel: 05 61 57 90 86  www.brightavocats.com
contact@brightavocats.com
If you have a legal query send it to news@connexionfrance.com
We select questions for answer every edition
Your questions
answered
Matthew Cameron, partner
with Ashtons Legal,
answers a
reader query.
whose duties include shar-
ing assets among the bene-
ficiaries. In France, each
beneficiary takes an active
part in the succession, so
the more people you name,
the more people would
need to engage directly
with the notaire.
Of more importance is
the question of French
inheritance tax. The further
removed your beneficiaries
are, the greater the rate of
tax. This can rise to 60% for
unrelated people.
In addition, the personal
tax-free allowance available
to an unrelated person is
only €1,594 – compared
to €100,000 for a child.
The greater the number
of beneficiaries, the greater
the number of tax-free allow-
ances available. Whether
this validates the extra work
for the notaire will be a
matter of opinion.
Only one of them need fail
to engage for problems to
occur in the administration.
Gifts to charities might re-
duce the tax burden a little.
Choosing English law to
apply to the succession will
not change the tax position.
bookshelves and shutters
also cannot be deducted.
The seller must list exclud-
ed items, along with the
price paid and an estimate
of their current worth, in the
compromis de vente.
To avoid future problems,
especially if the goods make
up a significant part of the
price, it is worth having the
valuation carried out by a
commissaire-priseur – a
state-registered auctioneer.
The seller must also pro-
vide copies of sales receipts
for goods excluded from the
price, in case of later queries
from tax authorities.
Getting exclusions can
make a difference to notaire
fees – for every €10,000
deducted from the sale
price, fees fall by between
€700 and €800.
connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022
Fixing orchard
wall is a good
chance to study
old methods
Have you built a
DIY
actuality, not just in stone wall for the first
theory. This requires time in France?
looking at examples
Send your photos to
and thinking hard news@connexionfrance.com
about them, but it
Nick Inman mostly comes down
charts the ups to physical trial and
error. The second lesson is that
and downs of
if you are going to learn by
renovating experiment, by making
an old mistakes, you should practise
French on something that is not of
vital importance. Nick sets to work repairing the old wall with stone and mortar
farmhouse
My orchard wall was perfect: had originally been built. As I holes wherever you want these
it didn’t hold up a roof, nothing carefully removed the stones, days. Bought sand would have
I am lucky enough to have a depended on it, and I was the I began to appreciate the effort to do, but I did not want it to
walled orchard, which dates only person who cared what it that had gone into selecting be too fine. The original mortar
from the 19th century. looked like. them. They were all roughly was chunky, containing pebbles
The walls, naturally, are The first task was to do some the same size. The builder had up to 2cm long.
exposed to the elements and ruthless gardening: to carefully chosen the biggest stones that To match it, I started with
some of them have survived in pull away the ivy, scrape and could be manipulated in one gravel and sieved it until it was
a better state than others. brush off the moss, and cut hand (leaving the other free to fine enough to use but still had
For a long time, I watched the back any garden plants that apply mortar). If I needed new large particles in it.
east wall deteriorating, know- prevented me from getting stones, I would have to follow To build the wall back up, I
ing that I had to do something access to the stonework. this model. decided I should start with the
about it but handicapped by Next, inspection and deciding The mortar was not as deepest holes first and get the
other priorities. Finally, I got on the result I was aiming for. straightforward as it seemed. It top more or less level before I
around to repairing it. The wall had lost its top layer might have looked slapdash but finished it off.
Like all the walls in our area, and I had to establish where my it had been mixed and applied The original, anonymous
this one is made of round river restoration work would end by in a particular way that I would mason had managed to make
stones held in place by copious stretching a long level line from have to try to replicate. neat rows of evenly spaced
infilling of rough lime mortar. one end to the other. It would be difficult to make stones but I am sure he did an
Walls are made of different Now to the demolition. an identical mortar because to apprenticeship, whereas this
materials in other parts of I did not want to lose too do that I would have to have was my first attempt.
France but there are two uni- much of the existing structure found the same aggregate. I did my best and I hope the
versal lessons to learn here. but I had to take it back to solid I imagine this came from wall is still standing in another
One lesson is that to do work that was undamaged somewhere nearby to save 150 years.
true renovation you have to by the weather. This was my transport costs – probably the n Next month:
understand the old methods in chance to study how the wall river – but you cannot just dig Building a bell tower
Renovation grant is extended – with
bigger budget and professional help
The MaPrimeRénov grant to improve are reluctant to do MaPrimeRénov work
energy efficiency of homes will continue because of the paperwork involved.
next year with an enlarged budget, even The cost and complexity of obtaining
though critics say it is too complex and slow. the RGE (Reconnu Garant de l’Environne-
The scheme, launched in 2020 to combine ment) certificate they are required to hold
all the help to renovate houses to reduce also puts them off.
energy consumption in one place, will see Meanwhile, French radio has interviewed
Photo: irin-k_Shutterstock
its budget rise from €2billion to €2.5billion. carpenters claiming clients who wanted
Another change is that, from September work done through MaPrime Rénov were
2023, anyone applying for grants of more giving up because of the paperwork and
than €10,000 will have to sign up a Mon length of time involved.
Accompagnateur Rénov professional. Mr Bordeaux said statistics show the
Quentin Bordeaux, in charge of the pro- scheme has been a great success and the
Critics say the MaPrime Rénov scheme
ject for Direction générale de l’énergie et €2billion budget for 2022 will all be spent.
is too slow, with too much paperwork
du climat, said: “The idea is that the person “We are well on the way to handling
applying for the grant is given help, both in pagnateurs will have to be approved by the 650,000 applications for aid this year.
deciding what work will be most beneficial Agence nationale de l’habitat by demon- “The scheme has enabled many people to
but also on comparing estimates and on strating relevant experience. make their houses more energy-efficient,”
the full range of state help which they are “It could be someone who is an architect, he said.
entitled to.” or an energy consultant with the necessary Figures published after the first three
Further details, including how much the diplomas,” said Mr Bordeaux. months of 2022 showed 32,107 people
accompagnateur will cost, are still being “They must also be knowledgeable about owning homes and 6,322 landlords applied
worked out. the insulation and energy-efficiency solu- for government aid, and the average
“It will probably be more than €600 [the tions available.” amount received was €3,719.
base level for an energy diagnostic needed Anecdotal evidence is that many trades- If you have received a grant under this
for house sales], but will be accompanied people, who have been swept off their scheme, tell us how the application process
by specific aid,” said Mr Bordeaux. Accom- feet with work since the end of lockdown, went via news@connexionfrance.com
 The Connexion December 2022
House hunt took US family back to school
In our series looking
at unusual properties,
Taira Norris tells Gillian
Harvey how an old mairie
and schoolhouse now
makes a cosy family home
When freelance writer Taira Norris
LeClere and her husband Eric
decided to move to France from the
US, it was with their four children’s
prospects in mind.
“We wanted to give them the chance
to speak multiple languages fluently,”
says 36-year-old Taira.
How appropriate, then, that the
property the couple finally settled on
as their new home was – in part – a
former school.
“It was the 10th property we visited
when we came over in 2018 from
Florida to house-hunt,” says Taira.
“We fell in love instantly. The build-
ing was actually both the old mairie
and school in one, so it was well
placed – just a minute’s walk from
the village centre.
“The main building – the former
mairie office – is charming, simple
and elegant. It was already partially
converted, meaning it had four bed-
rooms and plenty of living space for
our growing family.”
The couple paid under €200,000
for the property in Rancon, Haute-
Vienne, which comprises the partially
converted mairie of around 300m²,
with the attached schoolhouse giving
an additional 70m². The property sits
in a garden of about an acre, and there
is another two-acre field behind.
It was previously owned by a retired
British man as a holiday home and he
Easy-fit solar kits could reduce Old clothes sold as insulation in DIY stores
electricity bills by €30 a month
Small solar panel kits that can be
easily fixed to the walls of houses and
barns and send electricity through a
simple plug are proving a big success
for a French start-up.
The kits start at €780 for four 70cm
by 70cm panels, each weighing 5.6kg.
Together they can produce 300
watts of electricity when installed on
a sunny south-facing wall.
The kits come with brackets to
Photo: Beem
screw into the wall.
Pierre-Emmanuel Roger, one of the
co-founders of Beem Energy, told
The Connexion: “Several of our first
clients had walls which were not
completely straight.
“Almost always, the best solution
was to fix a wooden plank or planks
on to the wall, and then fix the kits to
the plank. It takes a bit longer but is
do-able for anyone with DIY skills.”
A supplied cable runs from the
panels to the plug and is up to 10
metres long.
The company, founded in Nantes
in 2019, has sold 3,500 kits so far
and hopes to double that number
by mid-2023, selling up to 100 a
day since September.
The panels produce around 15% of
a household of four’s usual electricity
supply, excluding heating.
They are dark grey in colour, or
patterned dark grey and white, and
Quirky homes in France
Former mairie/school
had carried out much of the conver-
sion himself.
“When we moved in, we discovered
the house needed a new roof, and
although we were told the heating
system was functioning, it actually
needed to be ripped out and replaced,”
says Taira.
“We have also had the six chimneys
capped, have restructured the main
wall and have cut back a great deal
of ivy. There were lots of other jobs,
including plastering and tiling, but
it was liveable.”
So far, the work has been carried out
by the couple themselves, although
they are employing artisans to reroof
the main house and install a new
pellet burner heating system.
Evidence of the building’s former use
is still visible in the high windows and
ceiling, flagstone foyer and the wooden
beams bearing marks where former
doorways have been removed.
For those in the know, the roof is
another way of deducing the proper-
ty’s history. “They say in France that
the number of tile layers around the
outside of the roof tells the social rank
of the property’s owners,” says Taira.
“As a true property of the people,
there is only one layer on ours.”
The schoolhouse was in use during
the 19th century, and remains un-
touched for the moment, although
Eric, 37, and Taira eventually plan to
convert it into a large summer kitchen.
As little work had been done to this
part of the property, interesting histor-
ical artefacts were discovered when
the family moved here in August
The kits come with four solar panels
the company says they should last
between 20 and 30 years.
Happy customers claim bills have
reduced by as much as €30 a month,
meaning the kits should pay for
themselves within three to five years.
For properties outside of a protected
area, with panels installed no higher
than 1.8 metres on the wall, the only
paperwork required is an online
convention d’autoconsommation
form with the low tension grid
operator Enedis. Under this scheme,
any electricity you produce but do
not use goes into the grid for free.
For installations higher than 1.8
metres, or if you are in a protected
area – around a historic monument,
for example – a déclaration préalable
must be made.
connexionfrance.com
The family are thrilled with their home
2018. “We found about 500 vintage
magazines, dating from about 1820 to
1970 in the schoolhouse,” says Taira.
“We also found a giant weather vane
in the attic and some invitations to
formal events in Paris left behind by
the former mayor.
“There were even menus from those
events, which, as a chef, Eric was
interested to study.”
As the property had been privately
owned for 15 years, and for the most
part had been locked up, the family
have had a lot of interest from locals
who remember the building from
their childhood.
“When we first moved in, some
people who were attending a festival
just walked through the gates and
around the house like it was no big
deal, even though we had signs up.
“Even now, we often get people stop-
ping to talk to us and find out what
renovations we are doing. It’s nice to
live in such an interesting building!”
Now settled, Taira has found work
as a freelance writer, while husband
French-made cotton fibre insula-
tion from recycled clothes is now avail-
able as panels and rolls in DIY stores.
Branded Métisse, it is made by the
co-operative Le Relais, set up to get
long-term unemployed people back to
work through the reuse and recycling
of textiles.
Le Relais has a network of shops for
secondhand clothes, but decided it
could also do something useful with
donated garments that were too badly
damaged to be resold, by turning them
into insulation material.
Its first product was loose insulation
for attics, which is installed using air
pumps. It was well received and fully
certified to be used by tradespeople.
Le Relais claims there were no issues
with building standards, which can
often be a big brake on the use of
innovative green insulation.
The organisation has since started
making insulation in rolls and panels.
Spokeswoman Amandine Fraisse told
The Connexion: “We have heard that
installers like it because it is very soft
to use, and does not have any of the
scratchiness or cause irritations that
you often get with insulation.
“If there are tradespeople who refuse
to use it because it does not meet
building standards, it is because they
are not up to date with the standards.”
She said the insulation was approved
for MaPrimeRénov grants offered by
the government to try to improve the
energy efficiency of homes. Grants,
Exterior of
the mairie
building
Below: The schoolhouse, with its high windows, is not yet converted
Eric works as a self-employed chef de
cuisine. Both feel they have integrated
well into life in their village.
“We used to be called ‘the Americans’
but now people refer to us by our
names,” says Taira.
“We use local businesses and partici-
pate in activities, so that helps. My
husband has even catered some of the
commune meals held by the mayor.”
The panels have been a hit with
installers as they are less scratchy
than other insulation materials
however, are not available for people
who insulate their homes themselves,
even though doing so is often much
cheaper than using a tradesperson in
the MaPrimeRénov scheme.
Le Relais has two sales channels for
its insulation: one for tradespeople
and another for individuals, which has
recently included large DIY stores such
as Castorama.
Price-wise, insulation from recycled
clothes is two to three times more
expensive than traditional glass wool
insulation. However, it is less than
some other ‘green’ insulation, such
as cork panels.
Technical manager Stéphane Bailly
said: “The price is higher than glass
wool, but Métisse lasts longer without
damping down, and is much easier
to handle.”
When glass wool damps down,
usually after 10 to 15 years, it loses up
to half of its insulation properties.
Métisse panels and rolls do not have
a paper vapour barrier, which has to be
Property 39
Photos: Taira Norris LeClere / Eric LeClere
The children have also adjusted well
to their new life in France.
“Our older children are class presi-
dent, an eco delegate and involved in
the theatre,” says Taira, and they all
take part in school activities.
“All in all, it has been quite a learning
curve, but despite living in a mairie
and schoolhouse, we feel completely
at home.”
Photo: Castorama
added by the installer for outside walls
or when used under roofs.
Unlike the loose insulation, which is
100% cotton, the rolls and panels are
85% cotton and 15% polyester.
They are rated as fireproof, without
using boric salts, which some say are
bad for health, using a patented
method developed by Le Relais.
The organisation currently has one
factory near Lille making the insula-
tion, which employs 120 people.
Le Relais grew out of a branch of
the Emmaüs charity, set up to help
homeless people, and has bins to col-
lect old clothes in most French towns.
Garments are sorted and those in good
condition are sold through a chain of
secondhand shops called Ding Fring.
Le Relais used to export secondhand
clothes to Africa but has now launched
recycling efforts in three countries
instead. It was found that exporting
secondhand clothes put many local
clothing factories and tailors out
of business.
 The Back Page connexionfrance.com The Connexion December 2022

Miss France alternatives celebrate ‘normal’ women

As Miss France comes Tattoos and children... contest’s rules relaxed
which she hopes will open doors.
That competition is better known
under pressure to better This MONTH’s Miss France com- she competed for the title of and the winner gets a contract with
reflect modern society, petition will feature a number of Miss Ile-de-France. an Italian modelling agency.
rule changes as organisers attempt However, the rules already stated Also closely modelled on Miss France
Martin Greenacre looks at to modernise its image following that anybody can compete as long is Ambassadrice France, which claims
the other beauty pageants accusations of discrimination. as their sex is listed as female on to celebrate women “of all ages, all body
Previously, candidates had to their state ID card. types, and all sizes”. The only criterion
that exist in France be aged between 18 and 24, but The competition’s organisers told is to be aged between 18 and 30.
the 2023 contest, to be held in The Connexion there might have Miss Small Beauty, meanwhile,
DECEMBER is synonymous with Châteauroux on December 17, will been transgender contestants in the is open only to women shorter
Christmas, the new year, and… include no upper age limit. past, but there are no records, as than 170cm.
Miss France. For the first time, women who are this is not something they ask. Then there are those that shine a
The annual beauty pageant has married or Pacsed, or have chil- Candidates must still be at least light on a completely different aspect
retained its appeal: 7.3 million people dren, are also allowed to compete. 170cm tall, and must not have had of French culture.
tuned in last year – more than watched In another change, visible tattoos cosmetic surgery, although recon- Miss France Agricole, created in
the 2022 Tour de France here. will now be authorised. structive surgery is allowed. Other 2014, is a contest exclusively for
Its organisers have come in for It has been reported in the French rules include not having featured in farmers and agricultural workers,
criticism in recent years, however, media that the rules have been pornographic films or photos. There which takes place on Facebook.
and were taken to court earlier this expanded to allow transgender are no rules in terms of dress size. Contestants usually post photos
Photo: Robert Muller

year by the Osez le féminisme ! group, women, and that actress Andréa The changes have already had in their farming get-up, posing with
which demanded an end to discrimi- Mégane Pennuen was crowned Furet became the first transgender an effect, albeit limited: the oldest their animals, alongside a description,
natory criteria (see box right) and for Miss Ronde France 2022 contestant earlier this year when candidates this year will be 26. and a panel of judges selects a winner
participants to be given employment among those with the most likes.
contracts. A decision is expected in social media and deal with client brands. She said winners are often asked crowned Miss Ronde France in June. The current holder of the title,
the coming months. Like the Miss France contestants, to visit hospitals, or to talk to school- She said her fellow contestants had Marianna Briançon, endeavours to pro-
In the meantime, some have already they must also answer questions ahead children about fatphobia. become “a second family”. mote women who work in agriculture,
turned their attention to contests of the main event, although instead of “This social message of helping the “We really supported each other. and also ran as a suppléante (substitute)
which claim to represent a more just general knowledge questions, their population, even just moral support, It helped us to gain self-confidence, for the left-wing Nupes alliance at this
diverse spectrum of the population. foreign language skills are also tested. is something Miss France no longer rather than being desperate to know year’s legislative elections.
Miss Ronde France was created in Victoria Paillot, the show’s national does, but we do.” While the compe- who was going to win.” She does still The event does not just celebrate
2008 to celebrate curvy women. artistic director and president for the tition has been well received since enjoy watching Miss France, and said female beauty, either: a parallel
The only rules are you must be aged PACA region, said: “There are English its creation in 2017, Ms Paillot said the recent rule changes (see box above) election is held to crown Mister
between 16 and 60, and weigh 6kg lessons during the year. In internation- clothing brands had been slow to are a step in the right direction. France Agricole.
more than your height, less the metre. al competitions, if you don’t under- follow, and plus-size women face “I just find it a shame that it doesn’t Not all of the alternative pageants
So if you are 160cm tall, you must stand English you have no chance.” the choice of “either very expensive represent the average woman.” have achieved lasting success.
weigh at least 66kg. Miss France “With Miss France, even if the girls or bad quality” clothes. Ms Pennuen, 24, signed up to the In 2012, the election of a Miss Black
contestants must be at least 170cm tall. are intelligent, they are confined to Seven hundred people attended the competition as she was interested in France was at the centre of a contro-
Candidates receive training on hair- the role of trophy wife. We don’t ceremony and 1,200 more voted on- modelling. Each year the winner com- versy and accused of racial exclusion.
care and make-up, and how to manage want to train them for that.” line as Mégane Pennuen of Alsace was petes in Top Curvy Universe in Spain, The competition was not repeated.

How much succession tax

will your family pay?
French succession tax can significantly reduce the amount your heirs Talk to the people who know
inherit from you. Take action now so the right people benefit from your 0 805 112 163 (N0 Vert)
estate – you may not realise how much tax you can save by having a france@blevinsfranks.com
‘succession health check’.
www.blevinsfranks.com
Contact the specialists at Blevins Franks for personalised and effective
inheritance planning solutions.

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

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