living magazine april/may 15

Available across Poitou-Charentes ~ Dordogne ~ Haute Vienne ~ Vende

What to doWhere to shopWho to call

market place

spring is in the air

dont miss

our guide to poitiers

PLUS discover the regions roman legacy

magazineliving

april | may 2015

Free!

LHermione - Le Grand dpart

LHermione will make the 3,819 mile voyage across the Atlantic and arrive in Yorktown on June 5th, before sailing up the coast to 11 additional iconic ports, including Philadelphia, New York and Boston, for two months of events. LHermione will be back in Rochefort at the end of August 2015.

From the beginning of the reconstruction, the Poitou-Charentes Region has supported LHermione project.

On April 18th, L'Hermione will set sail for the USA!

Dont miss the spectacular pyrotechnic shows at Port-des-Barques, Fouras-les-Bains, Ile dAix, St-Laurent-de-la-Pre and St-Nazaire-sur-Charente.

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visit-poitou-charentes.comhermione.com

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Editor: Kathryn dobson FEAtUrES Editor: roger Moss AdvErtiSing: Jon dobson Art Editor: nadia van den rym ProdUction MAnAgEr: Justin Silvester

rEgUlAr contribUtorS: Trevor Bridge, Ron Cousins, Sandie George, Emma-Jane Lee, Nikki Legon, Chris Luck and Stig Tomas.

WitH tHAnKS to: John and Gill Bowler, Julia Moss PHotogrAPHy: Shutterstock or Roger Moss unless indicated. covEr iMAgE: Ladybird on Forget-me-not flowers MarkMirror/Shutterstock. PUbliSHEd by: SARL AMM, 2 Rue Buffefeu, 86400 Linazay FRANCE. Poitiers: 533 624 128. PrintEd by: Rotimpres S.A., Pla De Lestany S/N,17181 Aiguaviva, Espagne. dpt lgal: A parution. iSSn: 0753-3454. Living Magazine is free. Living Magazine est disponible gratuitement. All material may not be reproduced without the express permission of SARL AMM. Toute reproduction mme partielle du contenu est interdit sans laccord crit du magazine. Please ensure you verify that the company you are dealing with is a registered trading company in France and/or else-where around the world. Articles in this issue do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine.

April/May 2015

What a pleasure to see the sunshine heralding the start of spring, plus Easter and all the May jours fris are on their way. Were certainly looking forward to getting out and about again, which is just as well as we have added even more stockists to our delivery list. You should have no difficulty finding Living Magazine in all corners of the region as we now have over 800 places where you can pick one up! And, to make sure no one misses out, weve printed more than 30,000 copies, our biggest print run ever. If you would like to keep up with all our news, come and like our page on Facebook (LivingMagazine.fr) where we love hearing from you, our readers. As always, we bring Living Magazine to you absolutely free so we hope you use the services advertised in return. Dont forget that happy advertisers are behind every edition of Living Magazine!

bientt

56-63MArKEt PlAcEThe best services & suppliers across the region

64WHAtS on around the region

For All EditoriAl & SUbScriPtion EnqUiriES: [email protected] or telephone + 33 (0)5 49 87 29 71 For All AdvErtiSing: [email protected] or telephone Jon on +33 (0)5 49 87 29 71 SUbScriPtionS StArt At only 32 For Six EditionS see www.livingmagazine.fr for more information

4SnippetsNews from around the region

14rome remainsMuch remains of the Roman legacy across the region as Roger Moss discovers

20Pardon! More French expressions with Emma-Jane Lee

21inProfile: Poitiers The capital of Poitou-Charentes is a wonderful city to explore. We show you what not to miss...

26Arbres remarquablesOld trees are an important part of our landscape for many reasons as Chris Luck finds out

30Hook, line and SinkerWe ask why street fishing is gaining in popularity across the country 33 Writing competition: the winnersMeet the winners and read their entries

36Stylishly SixtyWe ponder the enduring love affair with the Citron DS

38 nikki legons cuisine Tuscan inspiration for easy entertaining

42the Wheelbarrow gardener Trevor Bridge explores the use of garden structures to add height and depth to your garden

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PrActicAl living

48Useful informationand expert advice

49living Property Pages We visit Sarlat-la-Canda in Dordogne

65UpbeatOur regular look at live music

66 book review with Sandie George

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snippetsRouillacRuffecJarnacCognac BarbezieuxAubeterre-sur-DronneANGOULEMECHARENTE(16) CONFOLENS charentenews from around the region... snippetsBritish FilmsThe British Film Festival, 24 - 26 April, will again be held at the Vingt-Sept Auditorium in Rouillac. In addition to film, the Anna Searle festival weekend will include music and an exhibition of works by British painters and sculp-tors every day from 2pm. Outside, a line of British classic cars will add to the atmosphere. More films than ever will be screened with a total of seven delighting audiences over the weekend. Friday is suspense night with Before I Go To Sleep and Calvary. Saturdays theme is history with Pride, The Imita-tion Game and 71, and Sunday features intriguing British Directors with Mr Turner (Mike Leigh) and Jimmys Hall (Ken Loach). Music will be provided by local bands and musicians throughout the weekend. Drinks will be sold in the English pub. Plus, food on Friday will be served from the Fish & Chip van with Saturday and Sundays meals at local restaurants.For more information contact Paul Stanford on 05 45 62 02 31 or [email protected].

Keira Knightley and Benedict

Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game

Festival fever Declared the most popular live cultural event of 2014 by Charente Tourisme, the Festival International de Musique de Chambre en Charente has another packed programme this year. Running from 9 May to 7 June, the event always signals the start of the festival season in Charente. Now in its 7th year, this dynamic event offers five weekends of total immersion in the rich repertoire of chamber music, from Mozart to Richard Strauss, Ravel to David Stock, Brahms to Prokofiev. It offers a unique opportunity to hear some of the largest names on the global classical music scene in historic venues across the dpartement. Throughout May there are concerts every Sunday afternoon followed by tastings of local produce, as well as childrens events and fringe activities organised by the Friends of the Festival. Experience the festival fever first-hand, with soloists and recording artists from eighteen different countries, who knows who you will be rubbing shoulders with

Find full details on www.chalaismusique.com or watch Festival 2015 evolve on www.facebook.com/FIMCEC. Tickets available from Ple Touristique in Aubeterre-sur-Dronne from late March. Tel: 05 45 98 57 18; [email protected].

Artistic directors, Trio Cordes Shaw

Csars 2015The Angoulme animated film industry was given a boost at this years Csars when Minuscule, la valle des fourmis perdue, produced by Thomas Szabo and Hlne Giraud with studio 2D3D, was named Best Animated Film. This is the second local winner in recent years after Ernest et Clestine won Best Short Animated Film in 2013. Unfortunately, the studio behind the 2013 winner, Les Trois Ours, went into liquidation last year after struggling with the commercial realities of the animated short film industry. However, with a 10 million euro budget, the future is much brighter for Miniscule with a second feature-length film already in preparation.

EN 2015, HENNESSY CLBRE 250 ANNES DE SUCCS DANS LE MONDE

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New Platform for the fortBuilt on the orders of Napoleon to protect the Charente estuary, Fort Boyard has withstood the rigours of the Atlantic weather for more than 150 years. Unfortu-nately, its harbour walls were less robust and when the dpartement acquired the Fort in 1989, a platform and bridge were built to allow access to the fort itself. Sev-eral re-enforcements later, the decision was recently taken to replace them after serious corrosion was reported. In March the new platform, built in Rotterdam, ar-rived and was carefully lifted into place after two days of preparation. At a cost of two million euros, the platform ensures the Forts future as home of the popular tv series bearing the same name.

Le Grand DpartAfter eighteen years, a dream project is finally reaching fruition as lHermione, Lafayettes frigate reconstructed at Rochefort, sets sail on her maiden voy-age to the USA on Saturday, 18 April. To celebrate this momentous occasion, an afternoon of events is planned along

the coast at Port des Barques, Fouras and lle dAix. The celebrations will culminate with a 30-minute pyrotechnic display when fireworks will be launched simultaneously from seven different locations, all maritime forts around the Charente Estuary: La Rade, Enet, Aiguille, Vauban, Vasou, Lupin and lle Madame. Hundreds of boats are expected to cheer Hermione off, includ-ing the replica of Nao Victoria (left), le Belem and la Recouvrance. But the docks at Rochefort will not be empty for long as the replica of Nao Victoria built in 1992 for the Universal Show in Seville, Spain, will be staying in Roche-fort until Hermione arrives in New York on 4 July. The original Nao Victoria was the first ship to successfully circumnavi-gate the world under the command of the Portuguese explorer Magellan in 1522 who himself died on the expedi-tion. Of the five ships that started the voyage, only Nao Victoria returned and of the 265 crew that left Spain, only 18

came home aboard her. The 26m-long, 3-masted ship will arrive at La Prouse on the evening tide of 19 April at about 6.30pm and visits to the boat will begin the next day. See www.rochefort-ocean.com.

Leisurely RetirementRichard and Eva Edds, owners of the gites complex, Domaine les Granges in St Jean DAngly, are pioneering a new project promising to help you make the most of your retirement. Residences La Difference is a village of ecological, low-energy homes with hotel-style services and security. Each individual home follows the Passive-on concept with minimum CO

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emissions and economies of all resources, including water, en-suring low annual running costs. Houses start at 62m2 for a single person, rising to 110m2 for a couple and each one has its own

garden. Included in the annual fee is use of the villages heated swimming pool and fitness cen-tre as well as access to the lake (ideal for fishing) and cable TV. Additional services such as cleaning, shopping, medical assistance, catering and accom-modation for friends and family can be easily arranged. Our aim is to create a community with a country club atmosphere where you can live economically with English-speaking support at hand. We all want to enjoy our retirement with the minimum of worry and stress, says Richard. Prices start at 190,000 euros including TVA, with the show-house expected to open in May. In the meantime, further details can be found on www.residences-ladifference.com.

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news from around the region...

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The multi-national choir based in the Charente Maritime, La Chantonge, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2014. During this time the choir has grown significantly from the original 14 members in 2004 to the current membership of 36. This year, the choir will be performing a series of concerts over the summer featuring a varied mixture of music from across Europe. The organisers are keen to continually extend the choirs repertoire and plan to make greater use of musicians during future performances:

Friday, 29 May, at La Temple, Cognac at 8.30pmSaturday, 6 June, at La Temple, Saintes at 8pmFriday, 12 June, at St Herie, Matha at 8pm

The choir meets at the Salles des Ftes at Fontenet, close to St Jean DAngly, every Friday after-noon and is keen to recruit new members who are interested in singing, especially tenors. La Chantonge will also be performing at the Fte de la Musique at Fontenet on 19 June. For further information, visit www.lachantonge.eu.

Adrenalin junkiesHaving missed the cut in 2014 La Rochelle is back on the Red Bull Cliff Diving tour this year. The tour kicks off at Cartagena, Columbia, in April and then heads straight to La Rochelle, billed as one of the World Series all-time favourite locations. Diving from the former defence tower of Saint Nicolas into the chilly waters of the Bay of Biscay, the divers 2013 appearance drew the biggest crowd ever for a World Series event more than 70,000 spectators. After Colombian Orlando Duques victory in 2009, and Russian Artem Silchenkos in 2013, the UKs Gary Hunt saw off all comers to regain the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series crown for the fourth time last season. The weekend will be packed with events and you can watch the qualify-ing rounds on Saturday 16 May with the final round on Sunday 17.

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Paints and morePigut-Pluviers is welcoming Peindre et Plus, a new paint and decorating shop opening on 31 March. The shop will be stocking quality products including many familiar brands such as Polyfilla, Harris, Evabuild, Ronseal and Johnstone & Leyland trade paints. In addition, their range of Dulux paints will be comple-mented by a colour-mixing machine for that elusive shade you cant find anywhere else. The shop will also stock a range of hardware from screws, nails and bolts to adhesives and sealants. Owner Stuart Harrison has an electrical company in the UK and whilst holiday-ing here and looking for business ideas, found that many people thought paint was expensive. I looked at several properties and decided on Pigut because of the very popular weekly market. Stuart will continue to run his business in the UK and has entrusted Helen Dawson, who speaks both French and English, with the management of the shop. We aim to offer popular brands at competitive prices and will be expanding the range offered with deliveries as well drop off points, she explained. Peindre et Plus is located at 5 rue des Allis; tel: 05 53 56 66 06; www.peindreetplus.com.

NEW HOMES rEquirEdSet up in 2007, Dordogne-based Equine Rescue France has a proven record of caring for horses and donkeys here in France. President Jenny Lupton explains: As well as working to improve the welfare of equines both here and across Europe, ERF also has a number of donkeys, horses and even a mule under our care. All of these animals have come from precarious circumstances and, as an associa-tion, we are committed to ensuring their safe future. We are one of the few associations that keeps own-ership of our animals, remaining their legal guardians. This is no small commitment as often circum-stances change and new carers have to be sought for animals. We are now searching for a new home for Accord (photo) who is a very well-bred 2004 chestnut geld-ing by Neptune DAlary out of a

Trakehner mare. He is approx. 1.64m and has been ridden in the past, although we are waiting for the better weather to find out how experienced he is and what level of rider he would be suitable for. ERF are also looking for individuals to help with raising much needed funds. If you would like to help, join the Equine Rescue France Fundraising Group on Facebook, visit www.equinerescuefrance.org or email [email protected].

New routes In time for this years summer season, the website rando.cg24.fr has had a facelift and now includes several new hiking and cycling routes. Sur les pas des hommes de Lascaux is a new 90km route from Terrason to Limeuil which descends into the Vzre valley and can be challenging in places. Along the way, enjoy the sign-posted windows about the local heritage. Meanwhile, significant work has been underway along the Isle valley to link the Bordeaux and Libourne to Prigueux cycle routes, vlo route voie verte V90. Three new tied-arch bridges have been carefully installed to allow safe passage of cyclists and walkers along this 116km route at a cost of 12 million euros, most of which has come from European coffers. Unfortunately, there is one 2.5km section that is not yet available due to difficulties with the land purchase, but the opening ceremony is scheduled for 20 and 21 June.

Can you help us?Here at Living Magazine we are looking for help with

making sure that Living Magazine is available across the whole of Dordogne. As we ourselves live outside the dpartement, delivering to

the south and east regularly can be challenging, particularly as Living is free. If you could help us by delivering a few packets of Living

Magazine to your local town and businesses, please get in touch. We will arrange for delivery of the magazines to you so you will always be

sure of receiving your copy! To find out more, please call Jon on 05 49 87 29 71 or email us at [email protected].

News from arouNd the regioN... dordogNe

Bouton dArtSince 2007, the Foyer Culturel Chef-Boutonnais has organised an art exhibi-tion every two years. This year, the 5me Biennale des Mtiers dArt will have the theme LArt et le Vent, Art and the Wind. Some forty exhibitors are expected for the weekend, many of them members of Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, Compagnons du Devoir du Tour de France or Artisans dart du Poitou-Charentes. They will include a weather-vane maker, sculptor, wood turner, cabinet maker, jewellery designer, aerial photographer, painter and decorator, designer of outdoor mobiles, basket weaver, calligrapher and more. Several workshops will be available demon-strating traditional to modern-day arts such as basket-weaving, calligraphy, stone carving and remote-controlled modelling. Plus, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France will be working from his forge over both afternoons. Bouton dArt will be held on 11 and 12 April at the Foyer Culturel in Chef-Boutonne.

If you are wondering how to occupy your little ones over the holidays, then take a look at the offerings from the museum of prehistory at Bougon (79). With workshops for children aged from 3 to 12 years old featuring arts with a prehis-toric theme, costing only 2.50, its worth reserving your place now. Alter-natively, head to Bougon for the Euro-pean Night of Museums on Saturday, 16 May. Starting at 6.30pm, a full evening

of events leads up to a guided visit by torchlight at 10.30pm and entry is free. In fact, the museum has a packed agenda of workshops and visits across the whole summer with guided visits in English in July and August to discover well preserved stone age passage tombs. You can make sure you dont miss anything by visiting www.deux-sevres.com and clicking the Tourisme tab, or pick up a free booklet from your tourist office.

Muse des Tumulus de Bougon

World Football Started in 1973 by Dutchman Andr Van Den Brink, the Mondial Football Montaigu

competition is an important Easter weekend fixture for foot-ball fans. Eight national U16 sides compete alongside eight

club sides in front of 17,000 spectators, all organised by local club FC Montaigu. This year France, England Belgium, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco and the Ivory Coast will battle it out to reach the final to be held at the Montaigu stadium on Easter Monday. In the past stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tvez and

Didier Deschamps have represented their countries so its well worth a visit if you would like to see tomor-

rows stars. See www.mondial-football-montaigu.fr.

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News from arouNd the regioN...

deux-svres & veNde

DEUX SEVRES(79)VENDE

(85)

Thouars

St Jean de Monts

Chantonnay

La Tranchesur Mer

Les Sables

dOlonne

Les Herbiers Bressuire

NIORT

La Rochesur-Yon

St-Maix-ent-

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Melle

Parthenay

HANDS ON INDIAN COOKERY WORKSHOPS WITH REZA MAHAMMAD

www.chezcartier. com [email protected]

Celebrity Chef Reza is delighted to invite you to his Hands on Cookery Workshops at Chez Cartier in the Charente.Learn the art of Indian food, with Rezas expertise and flamboyant insights as you create the perfect Indian menu.

10h30 - 16h30: lunch enjoyed with wine and shared together with Reza. Cost: 165 - vegetarian courses & gift vouchers available.Dates Available: 28th, 30th May; 1st June; 1st, 6th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 20th, 22nd, 27th, 29th August; 1st and 3rd September

Passion for PasTELsCaroline Juillet-Dugas grand-father was a professional painter who passed on his love of art to her at a young age. Now living in the Marais Poitevin, she is inspired by the serenity and poetry of her environ-ment, painting in oils, aquarelle and, for the past twelve years, pastels. Her works have won many awards across the Vende, Dordogne and Char-ente-Maritime, and Caroline now exhibits and sells her art from her own workshop. This is also the home of her associa-tion Pastellementvtre where she also teaches techniques for pastels, charcoal, sanguine and graphite. To find out more, contact Caroline on 02 51 56 78 84 or by email [email protected], or visit her at her studio at 8, La Groix, 85450 Chaill les Marais.

Bank HolidaysThis year, several bank holidays fall on a Friday making long weekends so make sure to mark these in your diary:Lundi de Pques Monday 6 AprilFte du Travail Friday 1 May8 Mai 1945 Friday 8 MayJeudi de lAscension Thursday 14 May

At A tAngentPart of the Round table Family of Clubs, almost every town in the UK has a tangent, a social networking organisation for ladies aged over 45. Originally aimed at former members of the Ladies Circle, tangents are now opening their doors to all women over 45. the only tangent in France is in the heart of the region at niort (79) and has 20 members, many of whom are themselves linked to Round table or 41 Club but several have had no previous experience. they are now appealing to like-minded ladies of all nationalities to join them. If you would be interested in joining the club, which has both english and French speakers, they would be delighted to invite you to be their guest for a meeting. the meetings take place on

the second and fourth Wednesday of the

month either at a members house or a local restau-rant. to find out more, email niort.tangent@

gmail.com.

EastEr sErvicEsThe Congregations of All Saints Vende warmly invite you to join them at two special Easter services. Good Friday (3 April) 11am - Reflective Service at La Chapelle Palluau and 3pm - Reflective Service Puy de Serre. Easter Sunday (5 April) 11am - Celebration Eucharist La Chapelle Palluau. See www.allsaintsvendee.fr.

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POITIERS

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HAUTE-VIENNE(87)

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Civray

ChatelleraultLoudon

Chauvigny

Rochechouart vienne & haute-viennenews from around the region...

www.buggscarhire.com

CarHireat Bergerac and Limoges Airports

Celebrate with EdnasSet in the picturesque village of Voulme (86), Ednas Bar & Restaurant is going from strength to strength. Since acquiring the business in May 2012, Lewis and Katie Hall have drawn on their shared passion for quality, home-cooked food, great music and their commitment to providing excel-lent customer service. Katie explains: Weve overhauled the brand and re-furbished the premises creating a much more appealing atmosphere while consistently delivering high quality food and service. Were really pleased with the positive feedback were get-ting from customers, who keep coming back. To celebrate their third anniver-sary, Lewis and Katie are offering read-ers of Living Magazine a 5% reduction on their food bill when dining during April and May 2015 - just mention this article. They are also planning a Spring Fair to mark the occasion. For full de-tails of their regular events and themed evenings as well as the fair, call Ednas on 05 49 87 19 20, email [email protected], or go to www.ednas.eu

Elephant HavenHaving set themselves the tough target of raising 340,000 to purchase the land for their elephant retirement home in Oradour-sur-Vayres (87), Tony Verhulst and Sofie Goetghebeur are remaining confident despite being some way short of the target. We are carrying on our fundraising as the current landowners are fully behind the project and have given us a flexible timescale. We are get-ting great support, only last month we received 1,000 from a 10km sponsored walk in the UK, says Tony. If you would like to find out how to support this unique project, visit their website www.elephanthaven.org.

La Ruche dActivit in Civray (86) is one of a number of businesses and individuals that will be holding a coffee morning in aid of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). After the tragic death of 2-year-old Maude, her mother Nola dEnis is raising money to help much needed research into this poorly understood syndrome. Unlike SIDS, there Is nothing that can currently be done to lower the risks of these deaths happening as we dont understand why they happen. Were raising money for Alexanders 100k Challenge, a fund set up by another SUDC mum, that will go towards funding a specific research project into the syndrome. La Ruche dActivit will be holding their coffee morn-ing on Thursday, 20 April from 9am. Local businesses are offering raffle prizes and there will be other events on the day. See their FB page for full details at Ruche dActivit. For a full list of events across the region, see Alexanders-Challenge-France on FB.

AlexAnders French chAllenge

Anyone for Hockey?After years of searching for a hockey club to join, Chris Cull has joined forces with Rmi Montcot to create one at Limoges (87). While there are clubs to the north and south of the region, this will be the first club in the Limousin. They are hoping to draw upon the talents of the expat population already passionate about the game as well as encourage local enthusiasts to join in. Initially they will be playing indoors until the out-door pitch is ready. The club is open to everyone with training for adults planned for Monday evenings and children on Wednesday afternoons. To find out more, call Rmi on 06 70 90 21 69 or Chris on 06 70 36 66 11.

vienne & haute-vienne

news from around the region...

Music NightsWith summer on the way, live music is back on the menu at The Green Man Inn in Charroux (86). The last Satur-day of the month is music night and well also be featur-ing meals cooked by Pois Chic in their pop up kitchen be-tween 6-8pm on the night. From 9pm onwards they will be selling their popular falafel wraps, explained owner Nat Greenland. Pois Chic will be a regular fixture at the pub, you can enjoy their street food every Tuesday from 6-9pm. Monday nights between 5-8pm are now Beer &

Cheese Aperos where different beers are on offer with a free bowl of cheese chosen to complement the beer, and Thursdays remain cribbage night which is becoming more and more popular. Find them on FB: The Green Man Inn, Charroux, and Pois Chic.

Open GardensFounded in 2013, the association Open Gardens/Jardins Ouverts is going from strength to strength. Inspired by the UK scheme, their aim is to encourage people to open their gardens to the public who pay a small annual subscription to visit them (currently 10 per annum). Some of this income assists with the development of the project but the vast majority is donated to charity. Starting with just four gardens in 2013, 28 opened in 2014 with over 3,000 being raised, and this year some 55 gardens are opening across dpartements 16, 19, 23, 24, 36, 86 and 87. To find gardens opening near you, see the Open Gardens website at www.open gardens.eu where you will find full details for each.

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S O U T H A M P T O N

N O T T I N G H A M

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Booking / Information at Limoges airportwww.airportlimoges.co.uk

www.livingmagazine.fr | 32www.livingmagazine.fr

14 | living places to see

www.livingmagazine.fr

RomeRemains

For centuries southwest France was occupied by the forces of Rome, who left a surprising legacy. We show you where to look.

WORDS & phOtOS: roger moss

Arc de germanicus,

saintes

Amphitheatre,saintes

THIS PHOTO: Cassinomagus near Chassenon; INSET PHOTO TOP: Inscribed tile from the Villa Suzac (Muse de F)

www.livingmagazine.fr | 32

living places to see | 15


Just 24 years after the suc-cessful Roman conquest of central Gaul (51BC) a census had been completed and colonies at strategic

locations were linked by roads which shaped our present day system. South of Chtellerault (86), beside an important trade route between Tours (Caesarodunum) and Saintes (Mediola-num Santonum), the settlement of Vetus Pictavis (now known as Vieux-Poitiers) was established near Naintr by order of Emperor Augustus Caesar. In time it covered over 80 ha, with an amphitheatre seating some 10,000 spectators. Archaeol-ogists have revealed evidence of everyday life including housing, temples, a large pottery plus a menhir bearing a Celtic in-scription in Roman characters. In the late 2nd century the site was decimated by fire, and the focus moved further south to the ancient capital of the Picton tribe.

Lemonum, which we now know as Poitiers (86), would become the most important settlement in the Roman province of Gallia Aquitania before the rise of Bordeaux (Burdigala). For centu-ries it possessed a 30,000-seat amphitheatre even larger than that of Nmes,

plus sophisticated thermal baths with fresh water supplied by stone aqueducts from outlying springs. Today just a single entry portal survives from the amphitheatre, while the Muse Sainte-Croix displays Gallo-Roman artifacts from local excavations.

Further down the ancient Imperial way linking Poitiers with Saintes a massive stone column known as la Fanal dEbon stands beside the D129 near Saint-Mme (17), south of Saint Jean dAngly. It was originally surrounded by a rectangular wall and was perhaps a funerary monu-ment. Its state of disrepair threatens its survival, but in the commune of Saint-Romain-de-Benet near Saujon (17) is a well-preserved similar struc-ture. La Tour de Pirelonge is 6m square and some 25m in height and again was originally surrounded by stone walls, creating an enclosure which when excavated revealed several graves.

Nearby Saintes (17) not only had north-south connections but also lay on the Via Agrippa, running all the way from Lyon (Lugdunum) via Limoges (Augustoritum). Saintes presented Roman engineers with substantial chal-lenges. A few km to the northeast, for

example, the village of Fontcouverte (17) possesses no fewer than eight spring-fed lavoirs, the largest served by the Escambouille, which emerges at la Font Morillon. During the 1st century AD it was diverted by a Roman aqueduct to provide Saintes with fresh water, but was soon superseded by a more copious and dependable source a little further north at le Douhet (17), whose own aqueduct begins with a cave-like underground passage. It then passes beneath the gardens of the 17th century Chteau du Douhet and emerges at the lavoir of la Jarretire.In 1840 the still-functioning aqueduct gained Monument Historique status. As Saintes grew, yet another aqueduct was constructed, this time from la Fontaine de la Roche and la Fontaine du Mou-lin, near the village of Vnrand (17) (which gained a modest place in the his-tory of France when Saint Louis bathed here before confronting Henry III at the Battle of Taillebourg in 1242).

Constructing aqueducts would have required significant investment. Throughout their long journey (up to 17km) the U-shaped channels employ cut stone sealed by heavy capstones

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to preserve water purity. Keeping things flowing by gravity alone required precise land surveys, the necessary gradient (sometimes as little as 1mm per me-tre) being achieved among unsuitable natural contours by tunnels and viaducts. Several stone arches survive at le Vallon des Arcs, surrounded by the towns golf course. Among the reasons for the towns seemingly insatiable thirst were several thermal baths, including the 1st century Thermes de Saint-Saloine, whose site preserves portions of the walls which supported a caldarium (heated baths).

By the 3rd century they had become a necropolis and the town was undergoing a radical transformation into a castrum defended by walls and watchtowers. Buildings which lay outside the bound-ary were demolished to provide stone, and portions of the masonry visible in Place des Rcollets confirm the use of massive stones up to 5m in length.

Taking the Via Agrippa across the River Charente into the town and onwards to the coast was an 11-arched stone bridge completed around 18 AD, and which survived largely intact until river widening led to its demolition in 1843. Thanks to Prosper Mrime, Inspecteur Gnral des Monuments

Historiques, the monumental Arch de Germanicus through which travellers passed escaped destruction and was transferred stone by stone to the eastern riverbank overlooking the original crossing between Rue de lArc de Triomphe and Rue Victor Hugo on the opposite bank. Despite the passage of almost 2,000 years, the arch dedicated to Emperor Tiberius and his adoptive sons Drusus Caesar and Germanicus remains impressive with Corinthian columns, foliated capitals and more besides.

The years have been less kind to the 15,000-seat amphitheatre begun in the reign of Tiberius and completed in that of his successor Claudius. The arena was abandoned during the 3rd century and by the Middle Ages was providing a convenient source of ready-cut stone for new construction. In the early 20th century, however, the town acquired the site and began preserving what

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living places to see | 17


had survived. While most of the up-per walls and tiered seating have long since gone, what remains tells us much about the structure and the bloody spectacles it hosted. Gladiators entered (and left, should they survive) via the Porte Sanavivaria, or Porte des Vi-vants, while remains of those slain were removed to the nearby necropolis via the Porte Libitensis or Porte des Morts. The Muse Archologique de Saintes displays finds from local excavations plus reconstructions of Roman daily life.

On the coast near Rochefort the local Socit de Gographie has excavated sites of two large Roman farm-style villas at Porte des Barques (17), plus another on the tiny le Madame (17). Local people refer to the locations as les Chapelles, and artifacts found include a plate decorated with a cross plus a Do-mine inscription, which date the sites from the arrival of Christianity.

Further south, below the mouth of the Gironde at Barzan (17), is another hugely important Gallo-Roman site believed to be the long-lost port of Novioregum or Portus Santonum. Aerial photographs reveal contours of a site covering 140ha, with an amphi-theatre, several temples, thermal baths,

villas, warehouses and a geometric street plan. You can visit the remains of a Roman temple and baths, then see the results of around 20 years excavations in the Muse du F, whose interactive displays bring it all to life.

Inland, east of Rouillac (16) and be-side the Via Agrippa, you can visit the

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largest ancient theatre in the Roman province of Aquitaine. The Thtre Gallo-Romain des Bouchauds was con-structed at the beginning of the 1st cen-tury AD and is set into a hillside, giving audiences distractingly stunning views over open countryside. Its remarkably well preserved, and at the top of the hill is a small shrine thought to have been dedicated to Mercury.

Further inland between Poitiers and Niort is Sanxay (86), whose Gallo- Roman site extends to 20 ha. Dedicated to water as the source of life and fertility, its own amphitheatre sits beside a lazy meander of the River Vonne. On the opposite bank are remains of 2nd-3rd century thermal baths plus an octagonal temple thought to have been dedicated to Apollo and Mercury. Each August the amphitheatre hosts the popular Soires Lyriques de Sanxay opera performances.

Some way further southeast the Via Agrippa passes through northern Charente and has left us with yet another important Gallo-Roman site. Since the 1960s archaeologists have been studying the site of Cassinomagus

near Chassenon (16), and the results are impressive. They include a theatre, three temples and a thermal bath com-plex supplied with spring water by an aqueduct. So important are les thermes that this area of the site is currently closed, receiving some 10,000m2 of stylish protective roof panels to provide better protection from the elements. Work should be completed in 2017, un-til which time there still remains plenty to see at this remarkable 25ha site.

Meanwhile, the site of a complete Roman villa complex plus the vast central tower of a temple are already fully

preserved at Prigueux (24) (Petrucore) in northern Dordogne. Versunnas displays are truly exceptional, as is the protective architecture by Jean Nouvel, while nearby you can wander through park-style gardens within the romantic ruins of a huge Roman arena.

As weve seen, the whole region possesses more Gallo-Roman remains than is generally appreciated, with the promise of a great deal more still to come as surveying techniques continue to develop. Each site is well worth visit-ing, and will help you piece together a truly fascinating historical jigsaw.

Gallo-Roman sites in Vienne: www.tourisme-vienne.com/en/Sites in & around Saintes: www.saintes-tourisme.fr/ Decouvertes/Sites-et-monumentsRoman Charente Maritime - the definitive overview: www.mediolanum-santonum.fr/Site Gallo-Romain du Fa:

www.fa-barzan.com www.fa-barzan.frAmphithatre des Bouchauds: www.cg16.fr/culture-patrimoine/sites-departementaux/les-bouchauds/Parc Archologique Cassinomagus: www.cassinomagus.fr Muse Gallo Roman de Vesunna: www.perigueux-vesunna.fr

Find out more

Gallo-Roman amphi-theatre at Sanxay

LEFT: Aqueduct remains, Vallon des Arcs, Saintes

ABOVE: Les Thermes de Saint Saloine

RIGHT: Old Santon coins

Garden at Cassinomagus

Gallo-Roman tower at Prigueux

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20 | living Language

Emma is a jack-of-all-language-trades, writing English textbooks, translating, marking exam scripts and teaching languages. She lives near La Rochefoucauld with her growing menagerie. See www.english-tuition.weebly.com

Pardon?Emma Lee, our language expert,

leaves us on cloud nine with her

latest collection of French phrases

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t.frAre you at sixes and sevens with French? Does it all feel like going back to square one every time you start? If you want my two cents

worth, going the whole nine yards will definitely help you with your vocabulary. Stay one step ahead with some of these French expressions using numbers and soon youll be second to none.

It might not make much sense not to have a radish in your pocket, or run two hares at the same time. Likewise, three peeled and one mown probably makes little sense to you in English. Hopefully this article will make it all a little clearer.

Many expressions in French using the number one are the same as those in English. Thus, to be number one is tre numro un and the famous one for all, all for one is un pour tous, tous pour un. Some are a little less usual, like not having a radish in your pocket or ne pas avoir un radis en poche. Apparently, in the nineteenth century, radishes were given out at bars because they made you thirsty. Radishes are, however, very cheap, and it is their cheapness that is the centre of this phrase, which means that you are so penniless, you dont even have a radish to your name.

In a similar way with two, there are many equivalent expressions in French. You can have two strings to your bow, have two feet fixed firmly to solid ground or even burn your candle at both ends. Avoir deux cordes son arc, avoir les deux pieds sur terre and brler la chandelle par les deux bouts all mean the same as their English counterparts. But if hear that you mustnt run two hares at the same time, you might be a little perplexed. Il ne faut pas courir deux livres la fois means that

you are better off sticking to one thing and doing it properly than you are trying to achieve two things at once.

Being as tall as three apples might not be a familiar English expression, although Im not sure its English translation, being knee-high to a grasshopper makes much sense in translation either. Both tre haut comme trois pommes and being knee-high give you a clear image of just how short someone might be, though.

Like in English, three is also a number that comes together. If you wait for ages, youll always find three buses coming together, and the same in French. Jamais deux sans trois. The same goes for accidents as it does for buses, of course. Both good things and bad things come in threes.

One of my favourite expressions using trois in French is literally translated as three peeled and a mown. Trois pels et un tondu is also slang for three baldies and a shaven-headed guy. You might be wondering what on earth this means, especially when it relates to an event

that was very badly attended. It makes a little more sense if you think back to the past. In days gone by, being bald had a sense of being miserly, or also having some contagious skin condition, so three men who wouldnt be sought out for company. Much like having a razor cut in the UK used to show the world youd had a particularly nasty infection of lice, being shaven-headed in France had a similar connotation. Thus, if you were in the company of these four guys, you were in very poor company indeed. You can also say quatre pels et un tondu. Im not sure having an extra bald guy there means the event was any better, though.

Braking on four irons or freiner des quatre fers means to dig your heels in. You can imagine a horse in iron shoes locking every single one of its legs. Its for those times when you stubbornly refuse to go a centimetre further. Similarly, if you tomber les quatre fers en lair it means you have fallen flat on your back.

A final French expression with numbers relates to every four mornings. If someone did something every four mornings, roughly twice a week, you may not think it very frequent or regular. In French however, tous les quatre matins means at the drop of a hat.

No two ways about it, these French expressions with numbers will certainly help you zero in on the language. At the very least, it should be as easy as one, two, three.

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With no fewer than seventy-eight listed Patrimoine His-torique build-ings, the citys architectural heritage is by any standards impressive and reflects a long and influential history which began as a Gallic settlement of the Picton or Pictave people. Poitiers sits on a high limestone promontory between one of the largest meanders of the River Clain and its tributary the Boivre (a name derived from river of beavers). This isthmus-like location was an obvious spot for settlement, effectively invulnerable from attack except from the south-west, which the occupants defended by building substantial walls and ditches. They could not, however, resist the might of the Roman legions who, after the conquest of Gaul in 51 AD, began centuries of occupation, during which Limonum Pictonum became the capital of the province of Aquitania, before the power base shifted south to Bor-deaux. At its heart they constructed a vast amphitheatre seating perhaps 30,000 spectators so vast, in fact, that despite later pillaging for stone, the ruins survived until the mid-

19th century when they were demol-ished during reconstruction works.

In the wake of the Romans came the Visigoths who encircled the entire site with defensive ramparts during the 5th century after the city was sacked during a Barbarian invasion.

These were troubled times. On 25 June 507 the area witnessed the massed Frankish army commanded by Clovis rout the Visigoths in the nearby Battle of Vouill. Two centu-ries later, after conquering Spain the Saracens poured across the Pyrnes and advanced rapidly throughout south-western France before being finally and decisively vanquished between Tours and Poitiers on 17

October 732 by Charles Martels army. The desperate and bloody conflict preserved Catholicism in France and has become known as the Battle of Tours.

During the centuries which followed Poitiers found itself located uncom-fortably between growing Parisian ambition and the English-held terri-tories of Aquitaine, so fortifications were strengthened, and by the late 12th century Poitiers was protected by 6.5km of stone walls and watchtowers, sections of which still survive.

Things came to a head during the Hundred Years War (1337-1453), one of whose key events was the Battle of Poitiers, which took place

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See The SighTS...Around PlAce MArchAl-leclercWhat began as a Roman forum hosted markets for centuries, before the military took over in the 17th century. It witnessed count-less parades and by 1830 had been renamed Place dArmes a name still frequently used locally before becoming Place Marchal-Leclerc in 1948. Now, with bars, caf terraces and lots of recently-revitalised open space (all under the watchful gaze of the Htel de Ville completed in exuberant Napolon III style in 1875) its an agreeable meeting place. The feel-good factor looks set to continue, with the former Printemps department store currently being transformed, and adjoining areas like Rue Carnot, Rue Saint Nicolas and Square de la Rpublique sporting bar and restaurant terraces in summer.

eglise notre-dAMe-lA grAndeThe 12th century faade of this otherwise 11th century Romanesque structure is a riot of sculptural deco-ration, with three western portals and two stages of niche figures above them. The carvings would originally have been painted, the colourful ef-fect being recreated in summer by projections of Les Polychromies onto the pale stone (see factfile for details). On either corner are towers topped like the square clocher with conical, tile-like stonework, a Poitevin device employed by architect Paul Abadie when he restyled the cathe-drals of Angoulme and Prigueux.

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on 13-19 September, 1356, five km or so south of the city near Nouaill. In 1418 the Royal par-liament was obliged to relocate to Poitiers, where it remained until 1436, after the Plantagenets finally relinquished Paris. In 1429 Joan of Arc visited Poitiers, was questioned about her mission by a church commission and dictated her historic notice to the English king and nobles to quit France.

The University of Poitiers was founded in 1431, establishing an enduring reputation as a seat of learning of international stand-ing. Today Poitiers is one of the foremost university towns in France, with over 25,000 students, 15% of them drawn from upwards of 136 countries. Over the years industrial-scale manufacturing (with the notable exception of the Michelin Group, 1972-2006) looked elsewhere, but beside the regions flagship tourist attraction lies the Technopole du Futuros-cope, with 224 high-tech compa-nies employing around 6,000 staff. Add the family park itself plus the surrounding hotels and services, and you get some idea of the significance of their contribution to what is now a dynamic local economy.

Place charles de gaulle

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living in profile | 23

Shopping & parkingPoitiers centre is notable for its lack of large department stores. Instead, small shops, many of them independent artisans and boutiques, line a network of pleasant pedestrianised streets. Youll find a few big names among them, with Monoprix, Zara and Fnac being the lifeblood of the Cordeliers gallery. For a pause caf head to Place Charles de Gaulle, where theres always a terrace table in or out of the sun, accord-ing to your preference. Alternatively, the popular La Serrurerie on Rue des Grandes Ecoles is worth a visit but its best to reserve if you want a meal. In summer the restaurant terraces on Rue Labascles and Rue Carnot are bursting with customers from midday onwards, taking advantage of good value menus du jour.Town centre parking is well signed from approaches to the city centre, and easy to access. The Hotel de Ville and Corde-liers are best for shopping, while Blossac is a little cheaper if you dont mind a 10 minute walk. If you arrive on a Sunday, public holiday or in the evening, parking costs just 0.50 - details www.poitiers.fr. A Parcobus to the town centre oper-ates from free car parks situated at Demi-Lune, Parc Expo and Champlain, details www.grandpoitiers.fr

SightSparc de Blossac Entrances on Place de lAppel du 18 juin 1940, Rue de la Tranche and Rue

du Grand Chne. Open 7am - 10pm (except the Jardin anglais which opens 8am - 8pm) from 1 Apr - 30 Sep. Parking in the nearby Blossac multi-storey car park.

Baptistre Saint-JeanRue Jean Jaurs, open 10.30am -12.30pm and 3 - 6pm from 1 Apr - 30 Sep. Closed Tues (except July and August) and 1 May, entry 2.

Cathdrale Saint-pierre 1 Rue Sainte Croix, open daily 9am - 7pm.

Eglise notre-Dame-La-grande53 Place Charles de Gaulle, open daily 9am - 7pm. Les Polychromies are projected onto the facade at nightfall every evening during the summer 21 June - 21 Sep. Contact the Tourist Office for details 05 49 41 21 24.

palais de Justice 10 Place Alphonse Lepetit, open for guided visits Mon - Fri 8.30am - 12pm and 1.30 to 5.30pm (excluding week-ends & public holidays). Visit times slightly reduced when court is in session.

Make the most of a visit to Poitiers with one of four interactive discovery circuits, each lasting 1 - 2 hrs. Download the Poitiers-Zevisit application (available for iOS or Android devices) by following the Interactive Poitiers link on http://uk.poitiers-tourism.com/.

Practicalities...

Surprisingly, the interior has a similarly jewelbox quality, the dimensions of the ma-sonry disguised by mid-19th century evo-cations of medieval decoration, while the real thing survives on the vaults overhead.

paLaiS DE JuStiCEThis astonishing building was constructed around 1100 as the Palace of Ducs dAquitaine and Comtes du Poitou. The Grande Salle (47m long by 15m wide) was completed under the Plantagenets at the end of the 12th century, although a Gothic gable end was added around 1380. As seat of Charles VIIs Parliament (1418-1436) the hall witnessed Joan of Arcs interrogation in 1429 and Charles subse-quently being proclaimed King. During the Revolution the building became the Palais de Justice, and in 1821 acquired a new classically inspired Doric entrance portal reached by a staircase of monu-mental proportions. In the gardens behind the hall masonry from the towns Roman defences survives beside the Tour Mauber-geon, reconstructed 13881416.

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CathdralE Saint-PiErrEThis remarkable Angevin Gothic cre-ation was begun in 1161 by Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet. The broad western facade was erected between 1242 and 1271 with funding by Alphonse de Poitiers, brother of no less a personage than Saint Louis. The lightweight stone vaults of the great three-aisled interior billow like the sails of a boat, while above the altar is perhaps the most important medieval stained-glass window in Europe, completed c1268 and depict-ing the Crucifixion. The exquisitely-carved stalls date from the cathedrals completion, making them among the oldest surviving examples in France. Their imagery includes a fanciful bes-tiary and a superb Green Man.

lES arnES romainESA solitary entry portal in Rue Bour-cani (plus the street plan within the tell-tale curve of Rue des Arnes Ro-maines) survives from the citys lost Roman arena one of the largest in all Gaul. Had it survived the mid-19th century mania for redevelopment it

would have stretched almost to Place Leclerc.

BaPtiStrE Saint-JEanDedicated during the 4th century, the oldest surviving Christian structure in Europe, looks in many ways even earli-er. From outside there are few clues as to the impressive scale of the interior, which preserves an octagonal pool used for baptism by full immersion, a remarkable collection of Merovingian-era sarcophagi plus 11-13th century frescoes, one of which depicts the Emperor Constantine. Theres also a museum display of worked stone items found on site and nearby.

ParC BloSSaCThese 9ha landscaped gardens bounded by medieval ramparts were created in 1770 by the Comte de Blossac, replacing vineyards whose roots explored the remains of an

ancient necropolis. Magnificent wrought-iron gates hint at the gran-deur of French and English style land-scaping, complete with tall avenues of pleached limes, a rock garden and a small zoological area. Particularly wel-come on hot summer days is a large fountain added around 1840, while a rampart walk offers panoramic views of the River Clain and far beyond.

GrandruEThe towns oldest street (originally the Roman decumanus maximus) retains a tangible medieval ambiance and is home to boutiques and family businesses. Generations of the Franois family have been making and repairing umbrellas here since 1882 behind a facade dating from 1910. Nearby are several imposing 17th century townhouses plus one of the last candlemakers in France, established during the 18th century.

Cathdrale Saint-Pierre (and left)

West front, Cathdrale Saint-Pierre

al fresco diners, off rue Carnot

Cooling fountain,

Parc BlossacParc Blossac

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26 | living WILDLIFE


M ost of us will notice large, old or ancient trees when we are out and about, occasionally we may stop and take a closer look. You dont have to be a tree hugger to enjoy their presence or consider what changes they have seen in their life if only they could talk.

The term veteran tree is one that is not precisely defined but we can say that its a tree that is of interest biologically, culturally or aesthetically because of its age, size or condition. Some trees are instantly recognisable as veterans but many are less obvious as we shall see. An alternative approach used by some people is to consider that the veteran, or ancient, stage is the final one in the life of a tree. Before this stage,

successive rings will have already narrowed, but their areas will have been roughly constant, owing to their increasing girth. In the veteran stage, the cross-sectional areas of successive annual rings in the main stem begin to decrease progressively. In turn, the amount of leaf area that can be supported reduces, resulting in the dieback of the crown. For this reason veteran trees are rarely tall with large crowns. Although this definition sounds fine, in reality this growth phase may not be clearly recognisable

even though it may be the longest one in the trees life.

Actual age is also a poor indicator of ancient status for trees as different species tend to live for varying numbers of years meaning that age can only be used when considered in comparison with other trees of the same species. At 100 years of age a birch would be old and a willow extremely old. At 200 a beech would just be starting to become interesting, an oak just maturing and a yew in its infancy. One age-related definition sometimes used is when a tree is in the second half of its natural life span. As a tree ages the complexity of the roots, trunk and branches are often good indicators of old age but we also need to take into account how the tree has been managed and any damage it may have sustained.

Arbres RemarquablesChris LuCk looks at the importance of old age in the world of trees

This 520-year-old oak in the commune of Cherves-Richemont (16) was named Tree of the Year in a recent nationwide competition run by the Office National des Forts and Terre Sauvage. Planted to celebrate the birth of Franois I in 1494 at Cognac, the tree has reached 17m in height and its trunk has a circumference of 1.2m. Badly damaged in the 1999 storms, the oak has since recovered and can be found beside a track leading to le Moulin de Prezier.

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Cultural ImportanceAll veteran trees are of historic interest as relics of a former landscape. In addition to their importance as natural habitats they are a valuable part of our cultural heritage. The interest lies in the individual trees distribution and location which tell us of past management practices and long lost ways of life. In many cases so much has changed that it makes it impossible to put the trees in a past context, others are a little easier. A row of massive limes may highlight where an old railway station once existed or two or three sweet chestnuts on a large open plain show where a hedgerow once

stood. As a rule, veteran trees in the open countryside would have formed part of a hedgerow or have been used as markers for land boundaries. Each tree, or group of trees, deserves individual consideration and study, perhaps combined with document based research in local and national archives to enable us to understand fully its historic context and importance. Indeed, it could be fun to try to dig a little deeper into the past of any veteran tree in your commune to see what you can find out - you may be surprised where it leads. It also important to keep in mind that a veteran tree may not always be obvious at first glance if it has

been extensively managed throughout time for one reason or another. There are a number of management methods, some well known such as coppicing and pollarding, others less known such as coppards which are trees that have been coppiced and then later pollarded.

Supporting WildlifeWhile a veteran tree is alive, part of its value for wildlife is that it is a self-renewing resource. However, dead veteran trees continue to be valuablefor wildlife because of their slow rate of decay. Such trees are often greatly undervalued but they should be treated with almost as much respect as living

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living WILDLIFE | 27

The oldest Lebanese Cedar in France, planted in 1734, is found in Ballans (17)

Tilleul de Sully was planted by order of Maximilien de Sully in 1598 - Brux (86)

This oak beside the Mairie in Saint-Mme-les-Carrires (16) is classed as an arbre remarquable

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28 | living WILDLIFE

Chris Luck runs two websites, www.wildlifeinfrance.com and www.planetepassion.eu, packed with information about animal and plant species in France, plus a blog about wildlife and bee-keeping in a natural, non-intrusive manner.

ancient trees. Failing to understand this and being too tidy is resulting in a huge loss of habitat for a range of species.

As deciduous trees age some branches die and fall off. This provides an opportunity for woodpeckers to hollow out a cavity to provide a nest site. In future years this hollow will be used time and time again often by different species with starlings, loir (edible dormouse), honey bees and hornets being common occupants.

As time passes and the tree grows, the cavity increases in size which then provides a place for Little owls to nest or for a pine marten, red squirrel or genet to call home. These cavities will also provide an important place for some bats to hibernate or even use throughout the year. Brown Long Eared, Serotine and Noctule bats are particularly prone to use them.

Even before a tree dies completely there will be thousands of species that are dependent on the parts that are dying or dead (saproxylic). Around 115 species of hoverfly alone live almost exclusively in dying rather than dead timber and to this we can

add perhaps thousands of beetles. In the first instance the standing dead or dying wood is invaded by vigorous organisms such as Longhorn beetles and fungi, which attack the wood when it is still hard. This paves the way for the addition of secondary saproxylic organisms, which feed on material that has already been partially converted by the primary colonisers, or are their predators which will include insect eating birds such as tree creepers, woodpeckers and starlings that can peck and prod the surface.

Coniferous trees also have hollows and carry dead wood as they age and really old yews can sometimes have hollows that can be entered by humans and used as shelters, some even have benches in them to sit on, or perhaps a shrine.

However we look at old and veteran trees its clear they are important to consider and preserve. We also need to ensure that veteran trees of the future are safeguarded if there is to be a continuity that will provide for both wildlife and human enjoyment well beyond our lifetimes.

Les Arbres Remarquables

In 1994 an Association A.R.B.R.E.S was formed for the study and preservation of Les arbres remarquables en France. In 2000, the Association created a label for a limited number (about 200) of the principle remarkable trees in France. Municipalities, local authorities, public and private owners who receive this label undertake in a partnership agreement to maintain, protect and enhance the distinguished tree regarded for its natural and cultural heritage. The Association works alongside the Office national des forts, (ONF), to evaluate and preserve important trees.

In addition, an annual competition was initiated in 2011 by the magazine Terre Sauvage in partnership with the ONF to choose lArbre de lanne of France. Its open to all comers via the internet at www.arbredelannee.com and candidates must post 3 photos along with the relevant information. Following on there is also the competition for European Tree of the Year, (voting is taking place as Living Magazine goes to press), with the French entry being in Pianello, Corsica, a Sweet Chestnut of between 800 and 1000 years of age.

< This chestnut tree, 15 metres in circumference, belongs to a species which, for hundreds of years, fed human groups settled in the area. Collective memory has recorded its gratitude by naming it the bread tree. Furthermore, its fruit is a suitable food for breeding pigs in the traditional way. It is a venerable specimen, worthy of being listed among Frances outstanding trees. From an aesthetic perspective, the discerning eye will note that it looks like a fantastical being half plant, half human that stands guard over its surroundings. Pianello, Corsica.

Stunning circular oak in Celles -sur- Belles (79)

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30 | living Angling

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Traditionally considered a country pursuit, Ron Cousins explores the urban side to angling

Hook, line & sinker

Street Fishing is becoming a

common sight in many of Frances

cities

Since King Charles IX received a bunch of lily of the valley as a good luck charm on May 1, 1561, May day has always held an important place in French traditions. And more so for anglers where it signifies the first day of the new season to fish for pike and zander. Spinning with lures will now be allowed and with that will come another surge in a new branch of the sport that is really pulling in the new recruits - Street Fishing.

Street Fishing took off in Paris about five years ago, rapidly spreading through Europe and to Britain. Proving a big hit with youngsters taking it up as a fun active sport, anglers use city and town waterways, dodging the traffic and casting from busy quaysides. Almost all catches are released with no fish killed. Big on the internet, it has been taken up by local and national media where it is described as a cool thing for youngsters to do.

Forget the flat cap and wellies image, Street Fishing anglers wear jeans, t-shirts, baseball caps and trendy trainers. And forget the mass of fishing equipment usually taken to the waterside, the new breed of urban angler will carry just a short rod and reel with lures in the pocket or in a lightweight back pack. It is easy to travel by public transport or to cycle and easy to take a break in a bar or bistro. In Paris there is a growing lunch-time fishing scene along the Seine and Canal Saint-Martin as office workers follow up eating with some lure casting before returning to work. The French capital now has a number of Street Fishing clubs and provides an on-line map showing the top fishing spots along the river and the canal.

Limoges, Prigueux, Nantes, Niort and Angoulme all have a growing number of devotees of this low cost sport that requires very little fishing tackle or preparation. Many people who have never fished like what they see at their city watersides and want to try it themselves and so it is becoming an

important gateway for new anglers to join the sport.

The competition side has also taken off in a big way that again appeals to tech-savvy young people. Each competitor is given a measure and an entry card bearing their name and then paired with another for the duration of the competition which can see anglers fishing their way along several kms of roadside banks where any attempt at stationary fishing would be impossible. The total length of fish caught decides the result so each time a fish is reeled in, it is placed on the measure with the captors entry card alongside. This is photographed with a mobile phone and the image sent on to the competition organisers computer. Texts are then sent to competitors to let them know where they are currently placed.

Most of the fish caught on the lures are perch, zander or pike and much strategy is involved to calculate whether it is better to try for perch which may be only 5cm to 10cm long but around in large numbers, or use larger lures for the larger species which could be 50cm or more but are in fewer numbers.

Making the correct calculation can be profitable as there are winners purses of 1,000 euros at stake this year at the Paris Street Open and the European Street Championship at Ghent, Belgium. Theres even more to be won in the Gunki Iron Tournament in Rotterdam. This three-man team competition, which attracts competitors from many countries, is fished over 24 hours and the result is decided by the total length of each teams fifteen longest fish. Motor vehicles arent allowed so many teams move from area to area using skateboards. One of the most successful street competition anglers is Englishman Steve Collett, from Leicester. He is a former English National Champion in the traditional match fishing format who has adapted quickly to lure fishing and last year banked almost 5,000 euros in winnings.

There will be more Street Fishing competitions throughout France this summer as towns add one of the new style events to the regular Concours de Pche.

If the idea of combining strolling through your favourite town with a spot of fishing thrown in is appealing, what do you need? A two-piece 2m light spinning rod and a fixed spool reel taking 100 metres of 4kg breaking strain monofilament nylon line should handle most fish that come along and can be bought for less than 60. A selection of 3 to 10cm lures and a few rubber worm and shad style lures will add 30 or so to the bill, and a pair of forceps are needed to safely remove the hook from the fish. The only other thing that could come in handy is a lightweight folding landing net, just in case the really big one comes along. One essential is a carte de pche, the annual rod licence that gives access to thousands of kms of river and lake bank throughout France. Once you have these its time for, as the Dooby Brothers song goes, Takin it to the Streets and, even if you were around when that recording first came out, you can now go skateboarding without embarrassment.

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www.livingmagazine.fr | 32

living writing | 33


the winners

Helen Millar presents AngloFile, the English language radio slot for RCF Accords

(www.rcf.fr). In the UK, under the name Rosemary Mason, she was a screenwriter and one of the original writers for EastEnders. She currently runs the creative writing group at Jeudi Art (www.chatnoirdesign.fr).

Julia Stagg is the best-selling author of the Fogas Chronicles, a series of novels set in the

Arige region of the French Pyrnes.

Nicci Fletcher is a writing mentor based in the Gironde specialising in the art

and science of writing great non-fiction, particularly family histories.

Kathryn Dobson is Editor of Living Magazine which she runs with her husband Jon. We

have been delighted with the response to our inaugural Writing Competition. Living Magazine readers are clearly very talented!

The Judges

We were thrilled to discover a wealth of literary talent with our first ever Writing Competition. Entries for both the adult and junior sections pinged into our inboxes from across the region, as well as further afield, and the entries themselves encompassed a myriad of subjects...

Writing competition

magazine

Writing Competition

Living

Jane Grey fell in love with France when she first visited as a teenager. She now spends as much time as possible at her home in Dordogne. Learning the language has been my ticket to understanding the people and the culture. I appreciate the connectedness of the rural way of life here.

The judging panel praised the interesting characterisa-tion along with the pace and humour. This piece almost wrote itself - theres so much inspiration around here! added Jane.

Jane wins Was Grandad a Spy?, an in-depth training course designed to teach you everything you need to know about writing and self-publishing your familys history PLUS three one-to-one mentoring sessions with Nicci Fletcher.

OUr winner

Adults WinneR: Jane gRey

RUNNERS UP: John Mainland and Harriet Springbett

JuniorsWinneR: geoRge BuRgess-smith

RUNNERS UP: Emily Brown and Gina Nicholson

Visit our website (www.livingmagazine.fr) to read the runner-up entries in full as well as see the full list of shortlisted entries.

www.livingmagazine.fr www.livingmagazine.fr

34 | living writing

Entente CordialeBy Jane Grey

Voi-laaaa! sang Christian as he served us our frosted glasses of ros with a practised flourish, the whole movement expertly choreo-graphed and accompanied by a bowl of peanuts and a kiss on both cheeks for me and my friend. She was relieved at this act of forgiveness. Only the week before, she had made the fatal mistake of attaching her dogs lead to a table leg. Oops! He rushed off in sudden pursuit of a tempting Westie, dragging the table behind it and flipping the coffees into the air. Personally, I was totally in awe of Christian the human dynamo, watching him as he swept round the terrace tidying chairs, wiping tables, kiss-kissing regulars and taking orders as he went. Theyll be giving you the Lgion dhonneur soon, Christian, I piped up. Ill have earned it! he darted back, quick as an arrow.

The music may be hopelessly outdated and the conveniences a scary squat loo barely concealed by two swinging louvred flaps, but the Caf Mimi is irresistible - a daily circus of colour and laughter with Christian as the ringmaster. The show hardly ever closes and entrance is the price of a grand crme. Most of the audience end up with walk-on parts, and one particularly fine performance sticks out in my mind.

It was Boxing Day morning and the rest of the family were sleeping

off one-too-many sloe gins. I crept down the stairs, slipping out into the bleary daylight with the idea of wandering round the town to lick the shop windows as they say here in France. It gets me every year. even after seven years, it is still hard-wired into my brain that nothing is Open on Boxing Day. Then it dawns on me: Dec 26th isnt Boxing Day in France, its Just another Day. The Caf Mimi is open as usual, and I could kill for a coffee!

The windows are steamed up but I can make out the shape of Christian in full swing behind the bar, polishing glasses and firing off the usual light-ning repartee. I push my way into the fug, throwing a Messieurs-Dames! to the general company and taking up my place in the Outer Circle, happy to blend in. rural France has more than the average share of characters. The serious idiosyncrasies that have been ironed out in sterner climes are more than just tolerated here - they are under

the benign tri-coloured protection of Libert, egalit, Fraternit. The Caf Mimi flies the flag more than most, with its own Inner Circle of inter-esting regulars, who appear to subsist on a mainly liquid diet. Some of them are here this morning: the Bearded Lady (a hormone issue or a lifestyle choice? nobody asks its not de rigueur), Turban Man (flies around town talking to himself in quirky head gear and baggy cotton trousers) and Sandal Woman (rotten teeth, equally decrepit sandals in all weathers, filthy toes). escapees from loneliness, rowdy children or just the washing up - all completely charming and very glad to be back to normal.

as I look on, the ringmaster lays down his whip, braces his arms in front of him on the bar like a Sea Captain in a storm and segues into his role of agony aunt. So, who did you spend Xmas with? asks a man nursing a small glass of vile green liquid. With Maman,

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living writing | 35

of course, and you? replies Christian, resigned but ever loyal. I spent it with Castro, came the mans reply. My mind jerked, picturing the decaying bar-propper pulling a cracker with the Cuban dictator amid plumes of cigar smoke. But the graphic explanation that followed soon made it clear that he had actually said gastro (a serious case of the runs). Time for my walk-on part: There are more pleasant ways of losing a few kilos, I chimed in. General hilarity. Mental air punch. Yes!! Id taken a tiny step towards the Inner Circle (a dubious distinction).

The door opened and another char-acter took the stage. A lady of a certain age, slightly too short of skirt and clearly in need of a square meal rather than a cognac. Bonjour Nathalie, a va?,chirped Christian. She answered

in a voice like a chainsaw and we all flinched. Not actually going so far as to wrap our scarves over our mouths, we nevertheless shifted back in our seats, trying not to breathe in too deeply and desperately hoping not to be enveloped in the evil miasma. Without a murmur, Christian reached under the counter, produced a bottle of cough mixture and served her a spoonful over the bar, which she took like a lamb. I had hardly digested this little cameo before the next act came on. Bonjour Marie-Hlne! sang Christian as a harassed-looking woman in tight leather trousers stalked into the caf, her mobile phone clamped to her ear. She shushed him with her free hand, uttering a string of expletives into the phone, from which we deduced that she had spent Xmas rowing with her no-good and now

ex-boyfriend and his annoying rela-tives, that it was definitely over with him for good and she wanted all her clothes back. Christian tried to pour oil on troubled waters, but we were agog this was better than any re-run of The Guns of Navarone. What would be the next exciting instalment?! We didnt have to wait long. Christian paled as she barked that her ex could flippin well drop all her stuff off at Christians. I imagined said ex screeching to a halt outside in a battered Citron, dumping it all on the pavement and raking the caf with gunfire. Deciding that I would quite like to see the New Year in minus puncture wounds and sounding braver than I felt, I slipped out into the street with an A la prochaine!, already looking forward to the next exciting episode....

At just 13 years old, George Burgess-Smith was one of our youngest entrants. The judging panel felt that his story encapsulated the theme of the competition, Living in France.George wins a 50 Amazon gift voucher.

OUR jUniOR WinnER

I became interested in cycling thanks to a friend and decided to find out about joining a club and found a local one called VPPN.This is the funny part. . . On a Thursday evening we phoned the Club Secretary (Jean-Francois) and he answered saying to come over to his house that night. When my dad and I found the house we sat down at his table with a nice cuppa and started talking about the cycling club. His wife then appeared with a huge pile of clothes! She found me a good fitting pair of lycra trousers and a top and so to start she told me to take my top off, I did, then she said my trousers. I did, so I was standing there in my pants and guess what? Then she asked me to take my pants off! I think you can imagine my answer, NO!, but she kept asking, so I

persuaded her to let me do it in another room. After Id got all my gear sorted out, Jean-F

living magazine april/may 15

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