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The Advertiser, Normandy's local English-language newspaper

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Page 1: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

AdvertiserThe

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FREEGRATUIT

September 2010 - Issue 9

NORMANDY’S property market is show-ing signs of a recovery, with sales up 25%in a year, estate agents say.

Upmarket properties are beginning tosell again, after a difficult couple of years,according to new figures from the Basse-Normandie branch of Fnaim, which com-prises 190 estate agents in the region.

Fnaim regional president Eric Maurice,who runs the Bleu Marine estate agency inCaen, said there was a “definite revival” inthe business; however, it was difficult totell how the situation would develop.

He told The Advertiser: “The prices arestable and there is even a slight increaseon certain well-located properties.

“We have witnessed an upturn on prop-erties over €300,000 which we had notseen for a year and a half, and that is whathas particularly moved the market.”

However Mr Maurice added that thegreatest number of sales were still in thelower end of the market. “The market hasremained active on everything under€200,000,” he said.

“This is what, in fact, we had continued

to work on. But since spring, we have seenan increase in the demand for propertybetween €300,000 and €500,000 whichhad disappeared a little and is today mov-ing the market.”

Mr Maurice said customers looking tobuy were strongly advised to take theirchance now, because prices are relativelylow and credit rates remain attractive fornow.

“Customers have to bear in mind thatloan rates are tending to go up at themoment. They went up 0.2 percentagepoints in July, so today really is the righttime to buy, because the conditions arelikely to become harder next year.”

According to Fnaim, a property that isput on the market at the right price usual-ly finds a buyer within 60-70 days. A yearago, it took at least 100 days for a market-price property to sell.

Continued on page 2

Optimism as housesales bounce back

By Alice Cannet

GROWTH: Fnaim has seen growingdemand for upmarket properties

Market revived by mid-price demand

‘Today really isthe time to buy’

Average sale takes 60-70days, down from 100

Four-page pull-out guide to buying a home P11-14

Photo: Pascale Planchon - Fotolia.com

Raisin d’êtreMeet Normandy’sonly wine producer P9

Piper’s honourFRENCH officials havestepped up a fundraisingcampaign to build a lifesizebronze statue honouringBill Millin, the SecondWorld War bagpipe playerwho has died, aged 88.

Mr Millin was just 22when he waded ashore at

Sword Beach on D-Day,playing Highland Laddie toboost morale as shellsexploded around him.

His memorial inColleville-Montgomery,Calvados, will cost about€70,000 to build.

Continued on page 2

JOBS • VEHICLES • PROPERTY • FOR SALE • WANTED

Page 2: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 20102 News

Useful ContactsEMERGENCIESSamu (medical aid): 15Sapeurs-pompiers: 18Police/gendarmerie: 17Duty pharmacy: 3237

More contacts, page 5

HOSPITALSCaen: 02 31 51 51 51Cherbourg: 02 33 20 70 00Avranches: 02 33 89 40 00Flers: 02 33 62 62 00Le Havre: 02 32 73 32 32Rouen: 02 32 88 89 90

Printed by Rotimpres, Impressions Rotatives, 17181 Aiguaviva (Girona), Espagne

All copyright is reserved to the publisher. Reproduction in whole or part of anytext without permission is prohibited. The Advertiser cannot accept responsibil-

ity for claims of advertisers or their professionalism.Mensuel Depôt légal – a parution.

RCI: 10 S 05218 ISSN: 2106 - 7902

EnvironmentalpolicyThe Advertiseris printed onrecycled newspaper. Weuse a printingcompany whichadheres to stringent regulations to reduce pollution.

AAddvveerrttiissiinngg aanndd ssuubbssccrriippttiioonnss oonnllyy::From France: 0800 91 77 56 (freephone) From UK: 0844 256 9881 (4p per minute)

Editorial: [email protected]

Adverts: [email protected]

Write to: The Advertiser (Normandy),38 rue Grimaldi, 98000, Monaco

Directrice de la Publication (Managing Editor): Sarah SmithRédacteur-en-Chef (Editor-in-Chief): Mark Stanway

The Advertiser is published by English Language Media Sarl38 rue Grimaldi, 98000, Monaco

Editor: Mark StanwayContributors: AliceCannet, Paul McNally,Patricia Mansfield-Devine, MaggieWakefieldDesign and layout:Wil Pace, Dave Cooper,Gemma Hill

Contact Us

Continued from p1Of the three Basse-

Normandie departments,Calvados is a little moresought-after than its neigh-bours, for its coastline andemployment market. Theaverage sale there is between€120,000 and €140,000.

In the Manche, the averagesale price is €120,000 and inthe Orne most sales are in the€100,000-110,000 pricebracket.

Mr Maurice said: “In thecountryside, there are somegood deals to be made; thereare opportunities. And in themarkets around the cities, too,there are more bargains.

“On the coastline, we havecustomers from outsideBasse-Normandie who lookfor second homes.

“Then we have the mainhome markets in agglomera-tions such as Caen, Saint-Lôand Cherbourg, wheredemand comes from first-time buyers.”

He added: “Today, we havebuyers who are ready to paythe market price.

“I have noticed that 70% ofdemand here is below€200,000, whereas 70% of theproperties on the market areover €200,000. So there is stilla little difference betweensupply and demand.”

Property prices: can youtrust the stats? page 22

MAURICE: Positive signs

Continued from p1Mr Millin, whose actions

were immortalised in the 1962Oscar-winning film TheLongest Day, was living in aretirement home in Dawlish,Devon, following a stroke.

He had hoped to come out toNormandy to attend theunveiling ceremony for thestatue.

He told The Advertiser earlierthis year: “I never expectedanything like this. It is a greathonour. It is a good likeness. Itis very good of the French to dothis for me.”

The Association D-DayPiper Bill Millin has been setup to organise raising themoney needed for the statue;so far donations have comefrom people in France, Britainand the United States.

Serge Athenour de Gourdon,president of the Mary Queenof Scots Pipe Band of France,

who is leading the fundraisingpush, told The Advertiser: “Todate much has been achievedincluding a site for the statue,a natural stone plinth and pro-duction of a half-scale modelof the proposed statue.

“Although much interest hasbeen generated through thepress, the project is still wellshort of target.”

The group is working with

the Scottish Parliament andthe city of Edinburgh for avenue in October to organise afundraising event. Scotland’’sFirst Minister, Alex Salmond,has said he will attend theunveiling in Normandy.

You can donate online athttp://tinyurl.com/billmillinDonations can also be made atthe mairie in Colleville-Montgomery: 02 31 97 12 61.

Piper memorial fund short of target

From next month, we are changing thedistribution of The Advertiser to copewith rising demand.

The newspaper will now be available inall copies of The Connexion sold innewsagents and supermarkets across theregion throughout the year. There is noextra charge for this. To find the nearestnewsagent to where you live, seewww.findthepressinfrance.com

The Advertiser will also be available indedicated stands in 50 key distributionpoints – with many more papers at eachlocation – to avoid readers being disap-pointed and having to drive around tofind a copy.

Here is the full list of points:

14 – CalvadosBar Patio, LisieuxBricomarché, VireCarrefour Market, Falaise, Honfleur, Villers BocageIntermarché, Condé-sur-NoireauLeclerc, VireSubway, CaenSuper U, Thury-HarcouëtShopi, Saint-Sever, VassyTourist Board, Terminal Building, Ouistreham

35 – Ille-et-VilaineDinard Airport

50 – MancheBricomarché, Avranches, Carentan, Parigny,TourlavilleCarrefour Market, Barneville Carteret, Carentan,Mortain, Pontorson, Torigini-sur-Vire Celtic Link, Cherbourg portLa Clé des Temps, Coutances Intermarché, Avranches, Saint-Pair, VilledieuLeclerc, Espace Culturelle, TourlavilleMarché U, Gavray, SourdevalSubway, Cherbourg, Saint-LôSuper U, Saint-James, Sainte Mère EgliseTerminal Building, Cherbourg

53 – MayenneLe Bon Choix Dépôt Vente, La Baroche GondinGedimat, GorronSuper U, Pré en Pail

61 – OrneBricomarché, la Ferté Macé, Carrefour Market, Alençon, Domfront, Tinchebray,Catena ,VimoutiersJardileclerc, ArçonnayLeclerc, Argentan, FlersSuperU, Bagnoles de l'Orne

76 – Seine-MaritimeLD Lines, Dieppe and Le HavreSubway, Le Havre, Rouen

Alternatively, if you would like to guarantee deliveryof the Normandy Advertiser every month straightthrough your letterbox, please turn to page 4 and fillout the subscription coupon today.

Easier to find your Advertiser

FAMILIES living on a housing estate in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives (Calvados) have been targetedby a mystery benefactor, who has been postingenvelopes of cash through their letterboxes.

The anonymous donor has been delivering thedonations in plain envelopes marked simply:“In the name of the Lord”. The envelopes typi-cally contain €40 for each adult in the house-hold and €20 per child

The gifts have been arriving in several dozenfamilies’ letter boxes overnight, accompanied byChristian texts including the Lord’s Prayer.

The donations were brought to the attention

of the local police when one of the recipientstook the envelope to a police station, concernedthat the cash was counterfeit or a scam.

Officers have tracked down the womanbehind made the donations, who wishes toremain anonymous and has apparently madesimilar cash gifts to low-income families before.Police say she has done nothing illegal, andmerely wanted “to help people in need”.

It is understood she picked Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives because it was one of the towns worst-hitby the 1999 storms, which forced many familiesout of their homes over the Christmas period.

Mystery donorsendscash to families ‘Buyers are

ready to pay market price’

COURAGE: Millin played bagpipes to raise troops’ morale

A NEW coal terminal thatauthorities in Cherbourghope will give a new lease oflife to the town’s strugglingport is ready to launch.

The offshore plant shouldenter service in mid-September, receiving coalfrom Colombia and SouthAfrica and processing it, readyto ship to power stations inthe south-west of England.

The €4m project was giventhe green light by Manchepréfecture in March afteralmost a year of delays. It isseen as an essential develop-ment if Cherbourg port is toremain financially viable.

Cherbourg Chamber ofCommerce says the plant hascreated 100 jobs and will “puta stop to the port’s longdecline”. It should process4.5m tonnes a year by 2014.

Greenpeace dumped tonnesof coal in front of the ecologyministry in Paris last summerto protest against the plans. Itsays it does not make sense forFrance to be investing in fossilfuels in this age.

Cherbourg coalterminal ready

Page 3: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 News 3

TOURISM workers are divided overthe success of this year’s peak sum-mer holiday season, with somereporting an improvement on 2009and others seeing average results.

A mid-season poll by Normandytourist board found 38% of profes-sionals had noticed growing numbersof foreign visitors this year, withnotably more Britons.

Another 40% thought turnout wasbroadly the same. Haute-Normandieappeared more positive about theseason than Basse-Normandie.

Marie Gabrielle Clément from theNormandy Comité Régional deTourisme (CRT) told The Advertiser:“Opinions were quite divided

between satisfactory and average.July was a beautiful month as far asthe weather was concerned, whichhelps.”

About 60% of those questioned inthe late-July survey predicted Augustwould be a positive month fortourism, but many of them remainedcautious because of the weather.

August proved to be a rainy month,and a final assessment of how thetourist season fared will not be madepublic until later this autumn.

Ms Clémént added: “We saw thebeginning of a return of foreigntourists. The situation with theBritish was less catastrophic than ithad been last year. It is not fabulousyet, but we feel that this is the start oftheir comeback.

According to the tourist boardresearch, Normandy remained a pop-ular destination for French visitorsthis year, but in no greater numberthan last year.

Some 23% of those polled believedFrench trade was in decline com-pared with 2009.

One of the best-performing sectorswas camping, where 70% of site own-ers said they were happy with num-bers and about half reported animprovement on last year.

Early summerresults divideholiday industry

SUMMER: Tourism enjoyed a boost from a warm July, but the vital holiday month of August brought rain

By Alice Cannet

Villedieu tourist status brings Sunday shopping

“It is not fabulous yet, but we feel thatthis is the start of the comebackMarie Gabrielle Clémént,Normandy tourist board

Photo: PHO

TOPQ

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UEST FR

ANCE

TWO Dutch tourists prompt-ed a major security alert afterpicking up an unexplodedSecond World War shell thatthey planned to take homewith them as a souvenir ofNormandy.

The pair, in their fifties,found the 35cm-long deviceon the beach in Houlgate(Calvados) and packed it in arucksack to take back to theircampsite.

Walking back through the

seaside resort, they met agroup of police officers anddecided to ask them about theshell and whether it was safeto take.

Police sealed off theseafront and the surroundingrounds, and mine-clearingexperts were brought in todispose of the device.

Allied forces dropped thou-sands of tons of bombs onNormandy in 1944.

Mine-clearing experts say it

could take another 30 yearsbefore they are all found.

The advice from police andcoastguards is clear: if you seean unexploded device, do notapproach it or touch it. Walkaway, warning others in thearea, and call the police.

“It’s usually ignorance ratherthan carelessness that leads tothese sorts of incidents,” acoastguard spokesman said.“People often have no ideawhat to do.”

SHOPKEEPERS in Villedieu-les-Poêles have won the right to openall day on Sundays, after theManche town was officially classi-fied a tourist site.

The town, which attracts about100,000 visitors a year, joins agrowing list of more than 500 com-munes around France that enjoyrelaxed rules on Sunday trading.

Until now, only food shops could

open on Sundays, and only in themorning. The new status came intoforce just in time for Villedieu tobenefit from the influx of visitorsover the peak August holidays.

Shops will be free to open withoutasking for prior permission fromthe préfecture. The new statusbrings with it a set of agreementswith staff over higher wages anddays off in lieu.

The Sunday trading law began tobe introduced last summer and isdesigned to give more flexibility toshops and boost the economy.

Many communes have been reluctant to apply to be touristzones. An official report from agovernment committee monitoring the effect of the Sunday trading law so far is dueout in October.

Vacationer prompts bomb alert

Manche reactor hits delaysANTI-NUCLEAR campaignersare seeking to halt constructionof a new next-generationnuclear reactor on the Cotentinpeninsula, claiming the site isbreaching planning rules andputting people’s health at risk.

Anti-nuclear group Crilan haswritten to the French nuclearsafety authority calling for theconstruction work to beblocked at Flamanville, on theChannel coast near Cherbourg.

Activists say changes made tothe design of the claddingaround the reactor core presenta safety risk and they claim thechanges have also invalidatedthe original planning permit. EDF is preparinga safety report on the Flamanville project thatwill be filed with the nuclear safety regulator bythe end of this year. Its contents will determinewhether the reactor is allowed to start workingor whether more modifications will be ordered.

The company said it would be inappropriateto comment on safety at Flamanville until thereport had been compiled and submitted, butadded in a statement: “Nuclear safety is EDF’stop priority.”

The group has had to announce that theEuropean Pressurised Reactor (EPR) is running

two years behind schedule and will cost €1bnmore than first thought, with the final bill esti-mated at €5bn.

The plant is now due to begin producing elec-tricity for Normandy and Pays de la Loirehouseholds in 2014.

The reactor is considered key for the futuredevelopment of the French nuclear industry. Itis seen by EDF as a prototype and it hopes to sellsimilar reactors to other countries.

If all goes to plan, the town of Penly, nearDieppe, has been earmarked as the secondFrench site for an EPR reactor.

PROTESTS: Anti-EPR activists want to halt construction

Photo: minicel7

3 - Fotolia.com

Page 4: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 20104 News

Name: ____________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________

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Postcode: ________________Town: ___________________________________________

Telephone: ____________________________________Email: ____________________

We would like to send you a weekly email with news and practical information about life inFrance. If you do NOT wish to receive this, please tick here. You can unsubscribe at any time. We will never pass your details on to a third party. NA 09/10

SUBSCRIBE NOW

and have The Advertiserdelivered directly to your

door for the next 12 monthsA 12-edition annual subscription to the Normandy Advertiser to your French homecosts €12* (£11.50). To become a subscriber, complete the form here and return witha cheque payable to The Advertiser to:

Subscription Services, BP 61096, 06002, Nice Cedex 1

Payment must be by euro cheque (from a French bank) or sterling cheque (from a UKbank). Please note: Subscriptions must reach us by the 16th of the month to ensuredelivery of the next issue.

Save money as a Connexion subscriber. Subscribe to The Advertiser for just €€9.50*a year

* French address only. UK addresses are €24 for non Connexion subscribers and €21 for Connexion subscribers

Write your subscription number here. Your number can be found on the plastic bag The Connexion is delivered in - or you can call us FREE from France 0800 91 77 56 or from UK 0844 256 9881(4p/min) to find out.

ALMOST a thousand of Normandy’schateaux, gardens, country manors,churches and museums are to opentheir doors to the public later thismonth – mostly free of charge – to cel-ebrate the region’s rich heritage and thepeople who have helped make history.

The 27th annual Journées Européenesdu Patrimoine will look at the men andwomen behind the historical buildingsof France. Open days, guided tours andother special events are planned at sites

around the region on September 18-19.Among the sites taking part is the

Château de Colombières in Calvados,an ancient feudal fortress betweenBayeux and Isigny-sur-Mer whichdates back to the time of William theConqueror and was a central point forAmerican operations in the SecondWorld War.

The oldest visible section today isfrom the 14th century and the chateauhas guided tours on both Saturday and

Sunday, priced €2.50 for adults andfree for under-18s.

Sites opening their doors in theManche include an 18th-century wind-mill in Barneville-Carteret, which willoffer tours and workshops.

The full list of monuments takingpart is due to be published online atwww.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr

There will also be a brochure listingall the local events at tourist officesaround the region.

Culture min-ister FrédéricMitterrand saidthis year’s eventaimed to celebrate the memory of themen and women “who built ournational heritage”, adding: “I hope itwill encourage everyone to go out anddiscover, admire and share the richheritage of our country.”

Last year’s event attracted 12 millionvisitors to 16,000 monuments in France.

Weekend tocelebrateNormandy’s rich heritage

HISTORY: Colombières dates back to time of William the Conqueror

A FREE exhibition of stunning aerial photography of theOrne countryside comes to an end on September 5.

Photographer Francis Cormon captured the depart-ment’s rolling fields, small rural villages and town centresfrom a light aircraft for the project, commissioned by thelocal council. Pictured here is the Falaise Pocket and astud farm at La Pinière.

Orne vue du Ciel is open weekdays from 9.00 to 18.30and on Sundays from 14.30 to 18.00 at the Orne conseilgénéral on 27 boulevard de Strasbourg in Alençon.

For more details call 02 33 81 60 00 or see www.orne.fr

See the Orne from abovePh

otos

: Fra

ncis

Cor

mon

Maternity savedfrom closureVIRE maternity ward has beensaved from closure at the lastminute. The ward was due toclose owing to a staff shortagebecause a gynaecologist wasretiring. A replacement hasnow been found, meaning theunit has enough medics to stayopen. More than 6,000 peoplehad signed a petition calling forthe ward to be saved.

Poverty awarenessday on October 1WELFARE group Les PetitsFrères des Pauvres is organis-ing several collections aroundthe region to raise awareness ofthe problems faced by elderlypeople living in solitude andpoverty. Volunteers will beselling flowers in Granville,Evreux, Rouen, Lisieux andElbeuf on October 1 to raisefunds. For more info, seewww.lesfleursdelafraternite.org

Report claimsCaen crime dropREPORTED crimes in theCaen agglomeration andCalvados as a whole have fallensignificantly in the past year,new figures from the Basse-Normandie regional councilhave claimed. Break-ins weredown 9.6% year on year in thefirst half of 2010, reportedfrauds down 7.2% and drug-related offences down 15%.There was however a slight risein assaults, up 0.5%.

Page 5: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 Community 5

Accueil des Villes FrançaisesFor newly arrived residentshttp://tinyurl.com/avfnorm

Alcoholics Anonymouswww.aabassenormandie.comBilingual meeting every Friday inPicauville (50). Alan: 02 78 08 41 23

Alliance Anglo-NormandeFrench and English lessons, meetingsand a social calendar. Based betweenLivarot and Vimoutiers.anglo.normande@orange.frwww.alliance-anglo-normande.info

Amicale Culturelle EuropéenneCultural events for all [email protected]

Anglo-French Club, The PercheEcole de Français Du Perche (61)Lessons, monthly events and walks.Maureen or Danielle: 02 33 25 25 63www.efdperche.com

Anglophone Association,CoutancesA social and cultural association forEnglish-speakers of any nationality.Liz Armstrong: 02 33 72 25 [email protected]

Association Euromayennewww.euromayenne.orgFrench language classes in Mayenneand Gorron for all levels. ContactJohn Robinson on 02 43 03 36 75 oremail [email protected]

Association Française des Soloswww.asso-des-solos.frCaen: 06 08 37 06 11Saint-Lô: 06.34.47.47.64Cherbourg: 06 45 50 57 69Dieppe: 06 61 16 68 84Rouen: 06 60 18 54 91

Association Franco-Britanniquede Buais (50)French tuition, all levels welcomeJuliet Sharp: 02 33 69 36 [email protected]

Association Franco-Britannique,Barneville Carteret (50)An informal group of French andBritish residents who meet for socialevents on the Cotentin peninsula Claude Bastian: 02 33 93 10 70http://francobrit50.wordpress.com

Bocage GardenersFor gardening enthusiasts, offeringadvice, meetings and outings.groups.yahoo.com/group/bocagegardeners

British Embassy (Paris) 01 44 51 31 00

Calvados Polo ClubPolo matches and events in Lisieuxarea (14). Open to non-members.Mme Garmond: 02 31 31 19 [email protected]

Cancer Support Basse NormandieJenny Luck: 02 33 60 27 [email protected]

Classic Car and Bike Club of Désertines (53)Meets last Thursday of every monthat the Red Lion Pub, DésertinesAlan Soutter: 02 33 69 55 [email protected]

Christ Church CoutancesEvery Sunday at 11.00 in the chapel ofthe Lycee Germain, Rue d’Ilkley, All the services are in English and areChurch of England based and all arewelcome. Call 02 33 58 86 76christchurchcoutances.com

Club Franco-Anglais deConversation de Gacé (61)Weekly conversation exchangebetween local French and EnglishLynn and Phil Slade: 02 33 34 53 [email protected]

Elizabeth Finn CareGrants and advice for Britons andIrish in financial need. Mary Hughes:04 68 23 43 79

Epona TrustCharity helping sick and mistreatedhorses and poniesAnn: 02 33 61 88 41www.eponatrust.org

The 50 Photo ClubMeets on first Thursday of the monthat Laforge Pub in Le Petit-CellandJackie: 02 33 48 89 [email protected]

Gay Normandiewww.gaynormandie.com

Groupe Ornithologique NormandRegular bird-watching outings02 31 43 52 56www.gonm.org

Mayenne and Orne Writers Relaxed, friendly creative writinggroup on first Tuesday of month atthe bistrot in Passais-la-Conception.Kitty Stephens: 02 33 64 12 [email protected]

Neufchâtel Twinning AssociationEnglish, Spanish and French tuitionfor all levels. Various [email protected]

Orne LinkAnglo-French network for the Ornehttp://ornelink.orne.frScarlet or Véronique: 02 33 81 62 97

Royal British LegionNormandy/Calvados district branchhttp://rblnormandy.wordpress.comGoona Naidu: 02 31 78 36 40Ron Matthews: [email protected]

Royal Naval AssociationFrance Nord branchOpen to all ex-service members andanyone with an interest in the navyGeoffrey Baldock: 02 97 51 54 [email protected]

Société Protectrice des AnimauxCherbourg: 02 33 20 49 74Cabourg: 02 31 28 09 71Etalondes: 02 35 86 88 51

SOS HelplineTrained listeners provide confidential,anonymous counselling service inEnglish to English-speakers living inFrance. 01 46 21 46 46 from 15.00 to23.00 daily. www.soshelpline.org

UK passport advice0044 208 082 4729 (cost of call plus69p/minute on your credit card)

“Ville-Beau-Son” ChoirAnglo-French choir in Villebaudon(50). Meets every Wednesday.Sylvia Miles: 02 33 59 21 [email protected]

Get the latest news and events alertsby following us on Twitterwww.twitter.com/NormandyNewswww.twitter.com/WhatsOnNormandy

Useful Normandy contacts

To get your group listed here, email [email protected]

Bag a bargain at Saint-Lô fairA TEACHER in the Manchehas set up a play group tohelp British toddlers meetFrench friends and preparefor school.

The group in Quettreville-sur-Sienne (Manche) is thebrainchild of HelenSolomons, a mother of twowho has lived in France forthe past 10 years and whosepartner is French.

Ms Solomons works as anEnglish teacher for eight- to 11-year-olds in theManche and has experienceworking with children asyoung as three.

She told The Advertiser:“The aim is to prepareEnglish children for startingschool and hearing moreFrench. In my experience,many English children arenot used to hearing Frenchand take longer to settle in at school.

“The idea is a weekly meet-up at my home, a workingdairy farm, for play sessionsand also to organise trips, forexample, to the zoo or thebeach.”

Normally the group willmeet on Wednesday morn-ings. For more information,contact Helen Solomons [email protected]

Language learning optionsin Normandy, p7

UP TO 10,000 visitors are expected toconverge on Saint-Lô at the end of thismonth to pick up a bargain, supportlocal traders and craftspeople and helpraise funds for charity.

The Rotary Club in the Manchemarket town has organised the annualfair for the past 25 years to attractpublic support for its charitable work.

The event takes place in the towncentre on Sunday, September 26 from9.30 to 18.30.

Initially designed to attract artistswho wished to make themselves betterknown, it has grown to include a livelystreet market that attracts bargain-hunters from across the region, pluscompetitions, games and facilities forchildren.

The artists now occupy a vast tentedvillage on the Champ de Mars, whilethe lively Quartier du Neufbourg inthe town centre will be lined withmore than 100 amateur and profes-sional sellers offering bargain books,clothes, toys and games, among otheritems.

There are also bars, restaurants andstands selling food, many of themstaffed by volunteer Rotary Clubmembers and their families seekingto raise funds for the club. Themoney raised on this day finances theclub’s support for local charities andsocial organisations, as well ashumanitarian work overseas. Eachyear more than €10,000 is donated tothese causes.

For further information about theevent, email Richard Evans [email protected]

POPULAR: Thousands of people turn out each year to the Foire aux Croûtes in the centre of Saint-Lô, Manche

4x4 rally raises thousands for soldiers’ charityTHERE was a Sunday morning sur-prise in store for Normandy’s ruralresidents when dozens of 4x4 driverspassed through in a rally to raisefunds for a British army charity.

Forty-three teams of drivers raisedmore than £110,000 for Help forHeroes, a charity for injured servicepersonnel, with their 10-day, 2,600km

drive through Europe, including twodays in Basse-Normandie.

The Norman stage took in a numberof Second World War sites, includingthe Pegasus Bridge Museum, thenArromanches and Étréham. Day twoincluded a visit to Sainte-Mère-Egliseand an off-roading competition atSaint-Germain-de-Tallevende before

the teams headed towards Germany.There were surprises along the way.The engine on one of the vehiclesblew up just outside Rouen.Mechanics worked through the nightto get the vehicle back on the roadand the team were put up for free by agenerous chambre d’hôte owner.

justgiving.com/h4hrally2010

Manche groupfor bilingualtoddlers

Page 6: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 20106 Profile

ACTING as ambassador for his orher commune is all part of a mayor’sjob, but it would be hard to find anambassador who presents hisregion’s heritage and culture to visitors with more enthusiasm, passion and sheer depth of knowl-edge than Christian Bosshard, themayor of Cambremer and presidentof the local tourist office.

An engineer by profession, MrBosshard explains how he became

committed to championing the her-itage of the Pays d’Auge. In the early 1990s, he was a techni-cal and management consultant withthe Chambre d’Agriculture: “Quitesuddenly it struck me that nobodyever mentioned apples or cider.Nobody took the slightest interest inthose producers.

“So I started working with them. Itbecame my specialist area; and themore involved I got, the more I grewinterested in the tourism implica-tions, because our apple trees are aninextricable part of the countrysideall around us.”

Since then he has led numeroussuccessful initiatives to developtourism in and around Cambremerand raise the profile of AOC (appel-lation d’origine contrôlée) produc-tion in the Pays d’Auge. In 2008, hewas elected mayor.

Mr Bosshard describesCambremer as “the quintessence ofthe Pays d'Auge”. With its superbNorman mansions, churches andhouses set in the traditional rollinglandscape of orchards and meadows,it is a perfect illustration of all theelements that once lay at the heart of

the peasant lifestyle and regionalgastronomy: a peaceful, healthyexistence sustained by beef, dairyproducts and apples.

These same elements attract thetourists and visitors on whom thelocal economy depends. InCambremer itself, there are 445 pri-mary residences and 138 holidayhomes, mostly belonging toParisians, and the influx of summerresidents plays a vital role in keepingthe local shops and services buoyant.

Mr Bosshard sees it as his respon-sibility, as mayor, to maintain thefragile balance between tourism andfull-time residency. “My ambition, ifnot my obsession, is to preserve afriendly atmosphere where the econ-omy is stable, where everyone iscontent and on good terms with

each other, and where we welcomevisitors to our town without sudden-ly one day feeling that we are thevisitors in their town,” he says.

“Occasionally someone points outto me that they were born inCambremer and I wasn’t. My replyis: ‘Nobody can choose where theyare born. OK, so I wasn’t born here,but I chose to come and live here.According to my logic, that means Iwin on points, because I took a con-

scious decision and made an effort.’Am I right?

“I have often found it to be thecase that the people who are pre-pared to fight hardest for the townthey live in are not the ones whowere born there, who tend to take itfor granted, but the ones who camealong and fell in love with the place.We all summon up the most energywhen we are defending the thingswe truly care about.”

Nobody took the slightest interest in the appleproducers. The more involved I got, the more Igrew interested in the tourism implications

Eureka moment helpedvillage cash in on applesMeet your mayor

By Maggie Wakefield

Every month we talk to a local mayor about his backgroundand the issues affecting his community. In this issue, we visitCHRISTIAN BOSSHARD in Cambremer (Calvados)

BOSSHARD: Mayor since 1998

LUXURY: Cambremer’s mansions include the Château les Bruyères

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Page 7: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 Focus 7

FROM simply being able to say“hello” and “thank you” to dealingwith red tape, or being able to holdlong conversations with Frenchfriends, the level of the language youare able to learn will affect everyaspect of your happiness.

There are many different ways oflearning French, from informal learn-ing from television and newspapers tofull-time immersion courses, andwhat works the best for you is a ques-tion of both your character and yourbudget. Some people do well in aclassroom setting, for instance, whileothers find this idea anathema.

If you decide to go to a languageschool in Normandy, there are hun-dreds to choose from, but they areusually based in the larger cities andcoastal towns.

The advantage of language schoolsis that they usually offer well-struc-tured courses at up to half a dozenlevels, with qualified teachers whoare native French speakers. They alsooffer specialised courses, so here isthe place to go if you need to learnsomething specific, such as businessFrench or medical French. They alsousually offer enjoyable short summercourses in subjects such as Frenchart appreciation.

Eduquality, for instance, runs lan-guage courses in Rouen, where youcan choose from a classroom settingor one-on-one tuition (which costsconsiderably more). Self-catering orhotel accommodation can be provid-ed, and the average age of the stu-dents is 23.

The Alliance Française, Alliance deFrance and French inNormandy also offercourses in Rouen, whilethe CEFE offers them inCaen. Towns such asLisieux are also studycentres for organisationssuch as CEFA (Centred’Études Franco-Américain). Many offeraccommodation withFrench families, if you enjoy a per-sonal touch.

Eleri Maitland, who runs theFrench in Normandy school with herhusband, Tom, says: “French inNormandy can receive a maximumof only 80 students, so every one ofthem is a name, not a number.

“This, plus our small class sizes ofeight students in the morning and 10in the afternoon, makes for a reallypositive learning environment.

“So that people feel at home, we also

have a welcome officer, who arrangesstudent accommodation with one ofour host families and is also alwaysavailable to answer questions and dealwith problems.”

The larger language schools alsooffer evening classes, but to attendthese you will probably need to livelocally. Alternatively, if you do not

fancy an intensive course held overdays or weeks, then weekly local les-sons held in your area may be thebest option. These range from grouplearning in a nearby town or via anAnglo-French association, to learn-ing with a teacher at your home ortheirs.

French teacher Juliet Sharp teachesstudents at her home in Buais in theManche, where she has one room setaside as a classroom. “Different peo-ple learn French in different ways,”she says, “but the advantage oftuition like this is that people canhave lessons tailored to their needsrather than falling behind or racingahead of a classroom full of fellowstudents.

“Some of my clients have alreadytaken intensive courses but not comeout of it at the end speaking French,and it can be an awful lot of money,whereas with weekly lessons, you payas you go along.”

Ms Sharp finds that her studentscome from all age groups, but manyare retired people, mainly becausethe majority of the British peoplenear her are retired. “Noticeably it’smainly the women who want tolearn French,” she says.

If you are looking for a localteacher, they usually advertise in the

local papers, supermarkets and maydistribute leaflets, but it is also worthsimply asking around. Ms Sharp getsmost of her clients by word ofmouth. And, like many other lan-guage teachers, she also offers bedand breakfast accommodation forthose who like to learn on holiday.

If you prefer to learn from home or,conversely, are on themove, then online learn-ing might suit you better.This is a relatively newconcept, where youvideoconference with atutor, either singly or insmall groups. LiveTutoris one company thatoffers this kind of tuitionand all the tutors are

UK-qualified teachers. The firm’s director, Juan Platt, says:

“Our clients range from businessprofessionals who frequently travelabroad to retired British couples whohave decided to live in France. Weeven have students who take theirlesson on their Blackberry whiletravelling.”

Michelle Thomas, a 28-year-oldfinancial analyst, is a LiveTutor stu-

dent. “I tried various other forms oflearning, including tapes, CDs andpodcasts,” she says, “but the fact thatthere wasn’t a real teacher on theother side meant that I couldn’t askquestions when stuck and I soon lostmotivation.

“LiveTutor’s setup allows me to seeand speak with the teacher and alsoshare a workbook which we can bothannotate.”

The advantages for Ms Thomasinclude flexibility and convenience –she can book a 60-minute lessonduring her lunch break, for example,or if she is travelling on business shecan take a lesson whenever she hasspare time and access to wifi.

“At first, the prospect of learningonline was a little daunting and Ithought it would be a disadvantagethat the teacher was not actuallythere with me,” she says, “but afterthe first lesson you actually forgetthat your teacher is not physicallywith you, and the learning experi-ence is just the same as if she was.”

For those who prefer self-study,there are all manner of languagetapes, discs and videos that you canuse in the privacy of your ownhome, with the best-known probablybeing Rosetta Stone andLinguaphone.

The downsides here are that you donot have a real human being to talkto and the materials are expensive,but the advantage is that once youpay for the discs (level by level if youprefer), you then have them forever,to listen to at your own pace, anytime, anywhere.

However, if every type of study isanathema to you, there is one finalresort: immersing yourself, bit by bit,in French life.

Speaking to French people on adaily basis, watching French televi-sion – especially anything with avoiceover, where the speech is slow-er, or the news, where the presentershave very clear diction – and little bylittle, you should find your Frenchwill improve.

The moreFrench youknow, thehappier you will be

From intensive courses and online learning to informal conversation groups, there are many different ways to learn French in Normandy, as Patricia Mansfield-Devine discovers

Michelle Thomas likes the flexibility that comes with online learning

List of language schoolstinyurl.com/langschools

Alliance Françaisewww.afrouen.org

Alliances de Francewww.alliancesdefrance.org

French in Normandywww.frenchinnormandy.com

CEFEwww.unicaen.fr/cefe

LiveTutorwww.livetutor.co.uk

Web links

Juliet Sharp says teaching French to a small group means she can tailor lessons to their needs

“Some of my clients have already takenintensive courses, but not come out of itat the end speaking FrenchJuliet Sharp

Find us in French newsagents or call FREE 0800 91 77 56 (France) or 0844 256 9881 (UK calls cost 4p/minute)

France, in EnglishNews, interviews, practical infoand more

Register for Connexion’s

weekly online newsletterwww.connexionfrance.com

Page 8: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 20108 Letters

WE BOUGHT a run-down chau-mière in Etretat at the end of 2007:260m2 of house and 44,000m2 ofland. A week after signing the com-promis de vente, I lost my job in theUK, but my wife refused to let meabandon the house, even though wecould have done so without lossunder those circumstances.

After three months in the UK, Ifailed to find a job, so we decided tomove to France to repair the houseand sell it on. I was able to find someproject work with UK, Americanand Malaysian companies, so I set upmy own limited company, while mywife studied French and the childrenleapt in at the deep end by attendinga French school.

Suddenly we were living in France,so we changed the car registrations,paid our taxes and hunkered down.

All was going well until the end of2009, when a client failed to pay forthe work I had done. Sorting this outinvolved many frustrating encoun-ters with the French authorities,recalcitrant banks and the avaricioustax man.

We made many friends on the way,both English and French, and werereally reluctant to give up and goback to Blighty, so I decided that Ihad to find a proper job. I appliedfor numerous jobs in France, andalso in the UK, to avoid burning

bridges.Just when it all seemed pointless, I

found a job that seemed too good tobe true and applied with the help ofa bilingual friend, because your firstletter has to be perfect. To myamazement, I got an interview withthe head hunter, all in French. That

then led to 12 hours more interview-ing, before I found myself as techni-cal director of a family-run manufac-turing business with about 300 staffand three factories to run.

My wife has not been idle either;she is a qualified midwife and hasdone some commuting back to the

UK to earn money, but she has nowstarted an English-teaching courseand is teaching at a school and anadult education centre. In the twoyears since we got here, we have alsoset up a potager and nearly finishedthe house, while the children are nowfully bilingual and as fit as a butcher’sdog.

We have certainly learnt a lot, andit was not the most organised oftransitions, but we are here and sur-viving. Nobody would do it if theytried to plan it; sometimes you needa big shove.

Simon POWELLEtretat (Seine-Maritime)

YOUR article on the D-Dayanniversary (Advertiser, June)describes the smallest WorldWar Two cemetery inNormandy, for just onesoldier.

We can claim first equal. Inthe grounds of La Chapelledu Chêne in Caligny there isonly one grave – Pilot Officer

Ernest Boucher RAF, whodied on August 5, 1944 afterhis Typhoon was shot down.

In addition to theCommonwealth War Gravesheadstone, there is a head-stone made from the pro-peller of his aircraft.John LOUTHCaligny (Orne)

Solo war cemeteryis not the only one

Normandy expats: brave or mad?

THE NEW flights to London from Deauville(Advertiser, July) are a start, but there needs tobe an air link to Normandy from the Midlandsor the north of England as well.

For those of us who do not live near London,there is not much point in flights that require along trip to access.

It is much easier and quicker for us to getfrom our home in Staffordshire to the south ofFrance and the Dordogne than our secondhome, 25 miles south of Deauville.

That is why Normandy is missing out. Ferriesare all very well if you are staying for five daysor more, but it makes weekends impossiblebecause travelling takes too long.

So how about East Midlands to Deauville forexample? It will cut out that long drive downto the south coast that is the killer for mostpeople north of London who want to be able tomake a short stay in the region.Janet MOZELEWSKIby email

THREE WAYS TO HAVE YOUR SAYSend your letters to the address on p2Comment online at normandyadvertiser.frEmail [email protected]

Please state your town and department. Letters may be edited for style andlength. The editor reserves the right to refuse publication

Region need more flightsto the north of England

CITYJET: Flights to London were first regular UK air link, but they stop at end of month

‘Nobody woulddo it if they triedto plan it’

PROGRESS: The Powells’ carefully restored chaumière near the Etretat cliffs, completed against the odds

LIKE many others, we owned ourhome for 20 years before movinghere permanently.

We are well integrated, withFrench and British friends. Ourneighbours have a large family,children and grandchildren. Weare treated as part of the familyand share in all their ups anddowns and celebrations.

The crux of all this is speakingthe language. Having worked fora French company, my French isnow excellent. My husband canget by admirably, but for many itis a bewildering thing to beunable to communicate.

My advice is always to buy asmany aids as possible: visual dictionaries, the biggest comprehensive dictionary and aFrench verbs book. Listen to theradio all day; it helps your earget accustomed to the language.Try to engage in conversationwherever possible.

All this does wonders for yourhealth, as it is quite exhaustingand you sleep very well.

Name and address supplied

Picking up the languagehas made allthe difference

Page 9: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 Food/drink 9

FOR the past 20 years, GérardSamson had been convinced thatcider-country Calvados could pro-duce something else than bubblyapple juice.

Today, the 52-year-old notaire,Normandy’s only wine producer, hasgiven the region six well-respectedwines, proving it can be done.

Les Arpents du Soleil, a small hill-side near the town of Grisy in theheart of Calvados, was where MrSamson decided to plant his fivehectares of vineyard, a well-informedmove which led to his success.

While a student in Caen, MrSamson came across an old map of the area dating back to 1762,which clearly showed a plot of landin Grisy had been used as a vineyardfor centuries.

“There was a very detailed histori-cal precedent for my vineyard up tothe French Revolution,” he said.

Since childhood, Mr Samson haddeveloped a passion for gastronomyand wine-making. When he discov-ered that Normandy had the poten-tial to grow vines, he could not resistthe opportunity.

“There are a lot of elements whichcontributed to the idea: a great pas-sion for wine and everything to dowith the art of the table and gastron-

omy, and also a very strong interestin nature generally and plants in par-ticular. Everything was inextricablylinked and took shape in Normandy.

“It could have taken shape in anestablished wine-producing region,but the challenge was certainly verytempting to take up.”

Committed to his idea, Mr Samsonstarted extensive research and attend-ed a training course at the Lycée

Viticole in Beaune, as well as classesin other wine-producing regions.

His travels took him toLamberhurst in Kent where heworked in a vineyard and became anassociate member of the EnglishVineyard Association, before return-ing to his native land.

In 1991, confident about the land’squalities, the notaire decided to final-ly take the plunge and four yearslater, he obtained experimental plant-ing rights on half a hectare of land.

“I had amazing luck; the land wasappropriate and there was a conjunc-tion of things that made it unique, asmuch through its soil as its climate,”he said.

“We have a very specific micro-climate here. It is the driest place inNormandy, and and we now knowfrom weather observations that thisarea escapes storms."

“We also have a wind factor, whichexplains the strong maturity of thewines, which are easily as good as intraditional wine-making regions.”

Because of its position in theParisian basin, which has under-

earth concentric rings, the Arpentsdu Soleil are on the same geologicallevel as the Côte d’Or, achieving asoil quality equal to the superiorBourgogne vineyards.

The first vintage he produced in1998 – some 2,800 bottles of whitewine – gained instant recognition byfeaturing in the Hachette wine guide,blind-tasted by professionals. Hiswines then features eight times in 10years in the guide.

“This brought enormous credibilityto the business. I am also lucky tohave my wine served in Michelin-starred restaurants, which helped agreat deal,” Mr Samson said.

“When someone sees your wine ona great restaurant menu, they auto-matically associate an image of greatquality.”

Today, the Arpents du Soleil pro-duce 25,000 bottles per year in sixvarieties: auxerrois blanc and pinotgris – the original grapes – melon debourgogne, müller-thurgau,chardonnay-sauvignon and the mostrecent, a pinot noir. These wines are

optimum three to four years afterharvest.

“The red wine is surprisingly good.I did not think we would achievesomething this lovely in Normandy.It is vastly superior to most Alsacewines; we’re closer to a bourguignonlevel,” Mr Samson said.

With a single employee, the produc-er has come a long way and relies onfriends during harvest. In 1999, MrSamson started exporting to Japan,and is now thinking of exporting toBelgium, Germany and the US.

“If I had not been a notaire on the

side, I could never have realised theproject. At first, there is no harvestand there is total uncertainty as tothe real outcome,” he said.

“Wine-making is a costly craft,because you have to invest and,once you have produced, you haveto wait for the wine to age beforeyou can sell it and create commer-cial networks. You cannot do this ifyou need to earn a living straight-away.”

The hardest task has been combat-ing narrow-mindedness aboutNormandy wines.

“There are two kinds of people:passionate discoverers who have nopreconceived ideas, and a moredubious crowd who cannot imaginethat in Normandy we can producesomething correct.

“The difficulty here is not the com-petition, but people’s doubts.”

Mr Samson has now decided todedicate himself entirely to his passion and will stop his notairebusiness at the end of the year. He isexpecting a large red wine harvestfrom 2014, having extended hisplantation in the spring.

Guided tours of the vineyard cost€5 and take place on Thursdaysbetween 14.30 and 16.30. Bookingscan be made at Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives tourist office on 02 31 20 9790 or by emailing [email protected]

Wine in Calvados?What else wouldyou want to grow?

Gérard Samson is giving up his day job asa notaire to concentrate on his uniquevineyard in Calvados, which produces25,000 bottles of red and white wine a year

CHEERS: Gérard Samson could not resist challenge of growing wine

WIDE RANGE: Les Arpents du Soleil produces six types of Norman wineVINES: The hill’s favourablemicroclimate is ideal for grapes

“I did not think that we would achievesomething this lovely in Normandy

By Alice Cannet

Page 10: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 201010 What’s On

What’s On Listings

September 1 and 15 – Guided toursin English of the town of Domfront(61) and its medieval castle. Entry€2.50. Call 02 33 38 53 97.

September 10-12 – Large fair inLessay (50) with more than 1,500exhibitors. A funfair is also on site.Call the mairie on 02 33 76 58 82 orsee www.canton-lessay.com

September 19 – 2km walk aroundthe Cap Romain cliff in Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer (14) to discover the localhistory. Meet at tourist office at 15.00.Free, but booking necessary. Call theAssociation Patrimoine Géologiquede Normandie on 02 31 97 30 41.

September 25-26 – Plantes etSaveurs d’Automne botanical festivalin the Manoir du Tourp inOmonville-la-Rogue (50). Exhibitorswill put their plants on display andgive advice on plant care, decoration,garden furniture and more. €2.50 foradults, under-18s free. La Haguetourist office: 02 33 52 74 94.

September 15 – Rare chance to seeLeonard Cohen at the Zénith, Caen(14). From €73. www.zenith-caen.fr

September 16 – New York rock bandInterpol play the Cargo, Caen (14) forone of only five French dates. Pricesstart at €23. www.lecargo.fr

September 17-18 – Open-air operafestival at Mont Saint Michel. Formernewsreader Patrick Poivre d’Arvor isthe unlikely guest taking up the chal-lenge of directing this performance of

Bizet’s classic Carmen. From €45. Seewww.operaenpleinair.com

Until September 26 – SeptembreMusical de l’Orne presents musiciansand bands every weekend this month.Concerts in Alençon, Autheuil,Mamers, Ecouché, Argentan andmore. www.septembre-musical.com

Until September 30 – Debussy’s lyri-

cal drama Pelléas et Mélisande at theOpéra de Rouen. Prices start at€5.65. Call 02 35 98 50 98.www.operaderouen.fr

September 3-12 – Off Courts filmfestival in Trouville (14) showing amix of short films, animation andinternational works. Debates, outdoorprojections, music and art.www.off-courts.com

September 3-12 – 36th Americanfilm festival in Deauville (14). Theglamorous resort greets actors anddirectors. Full pass €150, daily €30,students and under-26s €12. Touristoffice: 02 31 14 40 04.www.festival-deauville.com

September 18 – The Camembertbrotherhood meets in Vimoutiers(61) to promote the local cheese.www.vimoutiers.fr

September 25-26 – Granville seashelland shellfish festival, with 35,000 vis-itors expected. Shows, tastings andcooking displays of whelks, clamsand scallops. Call 02 33 91 33 91 orsee www.granville-tourisme.fr

September 4-5 – France’s motorboatracing championship returns to Caen

for the 15th consecutive year.Includes a display of vintage cars onthe quayside. Caen Nautical Club:06 07 67 52 63.

September 10-12 – Vintage car rallytours Normandy’s cathedrals, startingin Rouen (76) on Friday morningand heading to Mont Saint Michel(50). See www.ttp-org.fr

September 25-26 – Weekend duVent, event dedicated to wind sportactivities in Mont Saint Michel bayon Carolles beach and Champeauxcliffs (50). Windsurfing, kite surfing,sea kayak, paragliding, surfing, bodyboarding and much more. www.week-endduvent.com

September 3-5 – More than 450boats for sale at the biggest nauticalfair in France at Ouistreham port(14). Up to 15,000 visitors expected.See www.boatexpo.fr

September 12 – Rétrophoto photo-graphic market in Rouen (76), with alarge range of new and second-handequipment. Call 02 35 98 12 72.

September 19 – Music sale at LaLuciole, Alençon (61) from 14.00 to19.00. Buy, sell or swap instruments,amps, music sheets, record players,CDs and vinyl, including collectors’items. Sign up before September 16for a free stall. Call 02 33 32 83 33.

September 26 – Bric-a-brac sale inthe village square in Agon-Coutainville (50) with 30 professionalexhibitors. Call 06 62 42 28 67.

September 8 – Riesener exhibition atLisieux museum as part of theNormandie Impressionniste festival.Guided visit followed by two-hour artworkshop. Bring a protective smock.Entry €3.70. Call 02 31 62 07 70.

Until September 12 – Villedieu-les-Poêles (50) tourist office presents anexhibition on the theme of metal.www.ot-villedieu.fr

September 19 – Last day to seeBergame exhibition at Musée desBeaux-Arts, Caen (14). Call02 31 30 47 70 or seewww.ville-caen.fr/mba

September 24-26 – Comic book fes-tival in Darnétal (76). Exhibitions,debates and items for sale. Call02 32 12 31 50.

Exhibitions

For sale

Sports

Food/drink

Cinema

Music/dance

Out and about

Event listings are freein The Advertiser. Email:

[email protected]

SEPTEMBER 11-19 – Considered the world’s biggest kite festival, the Festival International du Cerf-Volant in Dieppe welcomes more than 700,000 visitors from 40 different countries. Eight hectares of grassbetween the city and the sea are available for kite enthusiasts to watch a fun show of air and colour.www.dieppe-cerf-volant.org

Photo: Ville de Dieppe

SEPTEMBER 16-18 – Sound and light show featuring 300 actors and1,500 costumes in Criel-sur-Mer (76). The Duché de Guillaume tells of11 centuries of Norman history from Rollo to today. Horse show andfireworks also on the programme. Tourist office: 02 35 86 56 91.

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SEPTEMBER 11-12 – Automne Gourmand food festival in Bagnoles del’Orne (61) hippodrome. Food market, cooking classes, shows and dis-plays. Entrance €3, free for children. Tourist office: 02 33 37 85 66.

Set sail forDieppe showSet sail forDieppe show

Page 11: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 Property 11

MORE than 4,000 Britonsbought a property in Francelast year, remaining the topnationality for foreign propertysales. The market is well-regu-lated and the procedure clearlydefined, but it can still appeardaunting if you are not familiarwith the language.

Many estate agents speakEnglish, but contracts are inFrench so if you are in anydoubt about terminology it isvital that you check what youare agreeing to and seek helpfrom a translator or interpreter.

The other key issue to bear inmind with French property salesis that the agreement becomesbinding at a relatively earlystage, with the signature of acompromis de vente. This hasget-out clauses but is not anagreement that should be signedunless you are certain you wantto go ahead and buy.

You should allow three to fourmonths for the whole process.

BEFORE starting out on the househunt, build up a realistic idea of howmuch you can afford to spend.Calculate your net monthly incomeand deduct any loan repayments andother commitments. This is yourrevenu disponible, and mortgagelenders will typically not allow yourmonthly repayments to exceed athird of this.

The advertised price of a propertywill, in some cases, include estateagency fees (frais d’agence inclus,check for FAI next to a property ad).Otherwise, fees can add between 4%and 10% depending on the agent andthe value of the home.

You will also need to factor in thefrais de mutation – notaire fees,transfer taxes and stamp duty whichcan add another 7-10% to the price.

When budgeting for your first year in your new French home, thereis a lot that needs to be included: ontop of the mortgage and bills youmay have renovation costs, gardening, local taxes, repaymentson other loans and copropriété

fees if you live in a shared building. Think about currency fluctuations:

if you are transferring funds fromthe UK for the deposit, the purchaseor the regular monthly mortgagerepayment, can you still afford it ifthe exchange rate worsens?

You will have to pay two types ofresidential tax for every year that youown and occupy the house. Theseare the taxe foncière and taxe d’habi-tation. The estate agent, seller oryour mairie should be able to give anindication of how much these cost.

HOMES are sold in one of two ways:either privately through a notaire orvia estate agents (agences immobil-ières). For a selection of local properties for sale, see page 23 or the “property for sale” section on ourwebsite, which allows you to searchby town or department. The site lists a mixture of private and agency sales.

If you are used to buying and sell-ing property in the UK, you mightfind going via an estate agent to be amore familiar approach than going

directly to a notaire. Many agenciesemploy staff trained to deal withEnglish-speakers. You should checkthat the agency is properly accredit-ed. The biggest estate agents’ body,Fnaim (www.fnaim.fr) has a profes-sional code of conduct that everymember must follow.

There are other, smaller, bodiesthat also regulate the sector includ-ing SNPI (www.snpi.com) and UNPI(www.unpi.org).

Once you are settled on an areayou would like to move to, shoparound and look at several agenciesto get a feel for the market and typi-cal prices.

If you like the look of a propertyand ask an estate agent to see it, youmight be asked to sign a bon de visitebefore looking round. This is just aformality: a written confirmationthat you found the property throughthat agency and not a rival.

Estate agents’ fees are not regulat-ed; agents are free to charge as theywish. The fees must be prominentlydisplayed to the public in the win-dow or by the door.

Check whether the prices quotedon ads include the agency fees (fraisd’agence inclus). The fees are the

buyer’s responsibility to pay and youshould receive a full itemised bill.

VISIT the property several timesbefore making a decision, preferablyat different times of the day for a bet-ter idea of what the area is like, thelight and the noise. Take a camera.

Make a visit with a local builder,architect or expert immobilier to assessany work that needs doing. Allow amargin of error in your budget forrenovation and repair work.

The seller has a legal responsibilityto point out any known problemswith the property. Failing to do socan give rise to legal action at a later date for vices cachés (hiddendefects).

Check the roof, the walls, the heat-ing, the electrics, the toilets andplumbing. Is the property connectedto a sewer network or is there a sep-tic tank (fosse septique)? If the latter,does it conform to the correct stan-dards and when was it last checked?

If you are buying a flat in an apart-ment block, check about the com-munal areas. Are there any major

Notaire or agency?

Complete checks

What’s your budget?

Buying yourhome inFrance: ourstep-by-stephelpguide

page pullout

4

Page 12: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Norma12 Propertyworks planned, such as replacing alift or fitting new windows? Howmuch is this likely to cost? Howmuch are the copropriété fees?

You should also ask to see thecadastral plans from the agent or thelocal mairie to check whether plan-ning permission has been grantedfor any neighbouring properties orany new developments in the area.

Once you are satisfied that every-thing is in order, do not be afraid tomake an offer. This should be verbal:under no circumstances should yoube expected to sign a contract suchas a compromis de vente on the spot.

Finding out how long the propertyhas been on the market for will givean indication of how likely the seller isto accept a lower price. Notaires alsohave a good knowledge of the localproperty market and might be able toprovide some advice on pricing.

SELLERS have a legal obligation toprovide various diagnostic reportsabout the property before a compro-mis is signed, covering areas includ-ing asbestos, lead, termites, energyefficiency, natural risks and gas andelectricity installations.

These reports are for informationpurposes and do not bring withthem any obligation to get the prob-lems fixed, with the exception of thereport on the presence of lead.

The reports are compiled in a cen-tral dossier de diagnostic techniquewhich needs to be annexed to thecompromis de vente that you sign toformally make an offer on a house.

If any of the reports is missing, theseller remains legally responsible forany problems detected in the houserelating to that particular risk.

If the natural risk report is missing,the buyer can ask a judge to cancelthe contract or seek a price cut. Theenergy efficiency report is obligatorybut if it is missing there are no legalrepercussions for the seller – it isthere for information.

All the reports, with the exceptionof the natural risks assessment, arecompiled by a professional diagnos-tiqueur who must be accredited byCofrac. Some are qualified to carryout all of the tests while others spe-cialise in certain areas. The naturalrisks report comes from your localpréfecture.

The reports that need to be includ-ed in the dossier depend on the ageof the property and its location.

Lead: This report is required for allhomes built before January 1, 1949,anywhere in France. The study mustbe no more than a year old, but if itcomes back with no traces of leadfound (or small amounts below thelegal limit) the report can be reusedfor an indefinite period and does not

need to be reissued with each newsale of the property.

If potentially dangerous levels oflead are detected, the seller has aresponsibility to inform the buyerand fix the problem. It is importantthat these measures to remove thelead are included in the compromisde vente. Once the sale goes through,the responsibility switches to thebuyer.

If the lead report is not included inthe diagnostic pack and the problemis detected at a later date, the sellerhas a legal responsibility.

Asbestos: Required for all build-ings that received planning permis-sion before July 1, 1997. The reportshould include details of any build-ing materials that might containasbestos, their location and how wellprotected the materials are.

Termites: This only applies to cer-tain departments. Check with yourpréfecture, mairie or local ADIL(Agence Départementale pourl’Information sur le Logement). Theassessment must be fewer than sixmonths old and should clearlyexplain which parts of the house areinfested. Other wood-eating crea-tures and fungi are not covered inthe report but it is still advisable tocarry out checks.

The seller cannot be held responsi-ble for them if the problem was notapparent at the moment of the sale.

Gas installations: All boilers andpipes that are more than 15 years oldneed to be checked. The report mustbe no more than three years old.

Natural risks report: This shouldclearly set out whether the propertyis at risk of flooding, forest fires,landslides or in a zone of seismicactivity. The report annexed to thecompromis de vente should be nomore than six months old.

The seller is also legally required togive written details of any incidentsthat have given rise to insurancepayouts since 1982, such as fires orflooding. This should be include inthe final contract of sale, the acteauthentique.

Energy efficiency: This report iscompulsory unless the total surfacearea of your home is less than 50m2

and independent, ie: not part of alarger copropriété. The assessment isvalid for 10 years. It only has aninformative value – the buyer has nolegal grounds to pull out of a salebecause of its contents.

Electricity installations: Requiredfor all properties where the electricsupply was installed more than 15years ago.

THE COMPROMIS de vente is thefirst of two legally-binding docu-ments in the sale process. It sets outthe terms on which the buyer and theseller agree to the transaction, whilealso clearly defining the conditionsunder which the sale can be aban-doned, such as refusal of a mortgage.

It is strongly advised to have thedocument written by a notaire orany other legal expert agreedbetween the two sides. Notaires inFrance often act for both buyer andthe seller, making sure both sides areaware of what they are signing.

However there is nothing prevent-ing you from hiring your ownnotaire or English-speaking Frenchproperty expert to contribute to thedrafting of the contract, althoughthis will increase the costs.

The notaire will check the land reg-istry and assess both parties’ rightsto buy and sell the property. They actas a middleman between the twosides, handling the funds andinstructing the estate agent to handover the keys once the procedure iscomplete.

Take plenty of time to read the

contract and make sure you fullyunderstand it before signing. Seek alegal translation from a traducteurassermenté if in any doubt.

The compromis should include as abare minimum:

The full details of the seller andthe property they are offering

The agreed priceA detailed description of the

home, its location, fixtures, fittingsand any outbuildings and land thatcome with it.

The surface area of the propertyDetails of any rights of way,

underground pipes or cablingA target completion date for the

final contract to be signed in front ofa notaire, although this is not legallybinding

The legal fees and who is respon-sible for paying them

A full breakdown of the estateagents’ fees

It is advisable to ask for a plan ofthe property and its land, to beincluded in the document.

The contract will also include anynumber of clauses suspensives – get-out clauses if certain conditions are not met. You can addas many as you like, provided theseller agrees to them. If any of theseclauses are triggered, the buyer is

Diagnostic reports

The compromis

Page 13: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

andy September 2010 Property 13

entitled to their full deposit back.As a legal default, the sale is void if

the buyer cannot obtain a mortgagewithin an agreed time, usually amonth or 45 days.

You might also wish to includeclauses relating to the contents of thediagnostic reports. For example, aclause might be added explainingthat the sale is void if the seller doesnot fix a termite or lead problem.

The clause should be very clearabout who is responsible for anyrepairs or treatment.

You might be able to agree a dis-count if it is agreed that some of therepair work will be carried out bythe buyer.

Check there is not a clause exoner-ating the seller if any hidden defects(vices cachés) are found in the houseat a later date.

If you are buying a house in a big-ger building, a copropriété, the com-promis must make it very clearwhich parts of the building are beingsold and which are communal. Anexact surface area is required.

If the final contract you sign, theacte authentique, has a lower surfacearea mentioned and the differencebetween the two is more than 5%you may be legally eligible to a pro-rata discount on the price.

TO RESERVE the house, the sellerwill typically ask for a deposit of 10%of the net price, however this is notfixed by law and you might be ableto negotiate a smaller deposit.

You should never pay the sellerdirectly. If you sought help from anotaire or estate agent to draw upthe compromis, they should act asthe middlemen.

Even if you did not seek any helpwith the contract and sealed the dealbetween the two of you, you shouldstill hire an intermediary such as anotaire or estate agent to handle thetransaction.

The deposit is due within sevendays of the compromis being signed.

This is the legal seven-day coolingoff period (called a délai de retraction) which allows you to makesure you definitely wish to proceed.

The period begins from the dateyou receive confirmation by regis-tered post that the compromis hasbeen signed.

Some notaires and estate agentswill ask that the deposit is paid at thesame time as the compromis issigned. This is normal and has no

impact on your rights to a seven-daycooling-off period.

The deposit must be refunded infull if you change your mind withinthe seven days.

Stay in regular contact with yournotaire between the period of sign-ing the compromis and the finalcontract, the acte de vente, to checkhow the process is going.

APPLYING for a mortgage can bevery time-consuming, so you need tomake initial inquiries as soon as youpossibly can. A lot of documentationis required.

Closely compare the offers in sev-eral banks and beware of promotion-al rates that only last for a brief peri-od. Compare everything: the interestrate, length, insurance costs, theapplication fees and any penaltiesthat might apply for early repayment.

You will need to supply threemonths of payslips, your latestincome tax statement, three monthsof bank statements and any otherstatements relating to borrowing youhave. You should also supply thesigned compromis de vente.

Once your application has been

Paying the deposit

Getting thecompromisright is vital

Getting a mortgage

AGREEING to buy a house inFrance is not to be taken lightlybut if you are buying with amortgage then there should be a clause suspensive in the compromis.

This clause allows the purchaserto pull out of the sale if they don'tget their loan.

However, what does this meanspecifically, and what stages areinvolved?

It means that if you have had arequest for a loan refused by thebank you have the right to with-draw from the sale, though you arenot forcedto if you canfind anotherway to buy.

That is theonly waythat theterms ofthis clausewould befulfilled,otherwisethe pur-chaserremainsunder theobligationto go through with the purchase.

If you are a cash buyer – that isyou do not need a mortgage orloan – you will be required tohand-write on to the compromisthat you understand that you are abuyer who will not need a mort-gage. Should anything change lateron during the sales process – sothat you need to change plans andorganise a mortgage – you will notbe able to use the clause suspensiveto get out of the sale.

Regarding the time limit and thesteps involved: there are a numberof time limits and deadlines relat-ing to loans and mortgages.

Firstly, you will be given a mini-mum of a month to find a loan,often, in practice, it is six weeks.

Once your request has been con-sidered you will received an “attestation”, a confirmation, thatyour request has been agreed inprinciple or refused.

You would need to supply thisattestation if your loan is refused for this clause suspensiveto be fulfilled.

Some time later you will receivethe full document with the termsand conditions set out.

This comes by recorded delivery(LRAR) and once you receive this

you are required to wait a mini-mum of 11 days before signing forthe house.

In the compromis you are usuallygiven a limited time for the sale,generally three months.

This date is not legally limitingand can be extended.

However, after that date eitherparty can force the other one tosign by sending a recorded deliveryletter (LRAR) requesting this totake place.

If the signature does not thentake place it goes to the Tribunalwho will decide the matter, unlessthe parties can agree betweenthemselves.

Answer prepared by Philippa Weitz and Yves Beuzen, of DelamarcheImmobilier. Philippa can be contacted on 06 19 17 34 61 or [email protected].

Page 14: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 201014 Propertythoroughly checked by an under-writer, you will receive an offer inthe post which by law includes astandard set of information: theamount and length of the loan, thetotal cost and the equivalent annualinterest rate (the taux effectif global).The quote is valid for a minimum of30 days from the date you receive it.

If you opt for a fixed-rate loan, thequote should include a breakdown ofthe monthly payments and showhow much of each instalment goes topaying off the interest and howmuch repays the original capital.

For variable rate mortgages, thebank should provide a simulationshowing what would happen if therate changed and how it would affectthe size of the monthly repayment,the length of the loan or both.

If you have not yet sold your oldhome, you can apply for a bridgingloan (prêt relais) for a fixed, shortperiod.

You should not pay any mortgagefees until you have accepted, signedand returned an offre de crédit (oroffre de prêt). You have a legal periodof 10 days to reflect on the quotesbefore you are allowed to go aheadand say yes. The bank is not allowedto go ahead if you say yes too early.

Refusing a quote at this stageshould not incur any fees. If youchoose to accept, you need to com-plete and send back the offre de prêt,signed and dated.

Banks reserve the right to with-draw their offer if, after four months,you have still not signed the finalsale contract, the acte authentique.At this stage the bank is allowed tocharge application fees frais d’étude.

Once you have accepted, a full con-tract will follow explaining yourrights and obligations during thewhole term of the loan. It is drawnup by the bank and sent to yournotaire. Read it carefully and seekclarification from the bank on anypoints that seem unclear.

The mortgage contract shouldinclude clear details of how to payoff the loan early and any fees thatmight apply.

Life assurance is required with themajority of mortgages in France andthe bank will usually require you totake out its own policy instead ofone from another provider. Youmight also wish to apply for extrainsurance to cover you in the eventof unemployment. Check the costand level of coverage.

If you come into financial difficul-ty, you must tell your mortgagelender immediately. Ask your localADIL what help is availale. If all elsefails, you can make a declaration desurendettement at your department'sCommission Départementald’Examen des Situation deSurendettement, to arrange a debtrecovery plan.

Interest-free loan (prêt à taux zéro)This is a state-backed loan for peopleon a relatively low income who wishto become first-time buyers inFrance. You will be required to pro-vide proof that you have not owneda home in France in the past twoyears and the application process canbe long and complicated.

The loan is designed to pay up to30% of the cost of buying a newhome or 20% of the cost of an exist-ing one. This percentage can beincreased to 50% (old) or 100%(new) for buildings that meet thebest energy efficiency standards.

The loans are available through anumber of banks that have an agree-ment with the state.

Your eligibility is based on joint household income in the previ-ous tax year.

It must not exceed €23,688 for asingle person, €31,588 for a coupleand €40,488 for a couple with two

children. The house must be yourprimary residence.

Prêt d’épargne logementMost banks offer a state-backed tax-free savings account called a plan d’é-pargne logement or compte d’épargnelogement. These are designed to helpyou save money for a deposit on ahouse. Keeping up regular paymentsover the term (typically four to 10years) gives the saver a higher rate ofinterest on the account and entitlesthem to a special low-rate home loanfrom the bank.

The PEL can be mixed with othertypes of loan to make up the full costof the property. It can be used to buya new or old primary residence. Italso applies to secondary residencesbut only if the property is new.

Prêt Action LogementAction Logement is the name for anemployer-backed home loan schemeformerly called 1% Logement. If youwork for a private company inFrance that employs more than 10people, your employer should have a

fund set up into which an annualsum equal to 0.45% of the total wagebill is paid (previously 1%, hence thename). This fund is made availableto employees to help any first-timebuyers get on the property ladder aswell as anybody who has to move toa new area for work.

There are no formal means teststhat apply, provided the property youare buying is either new or at least 20years old and in need of a largeamount of renovation work to get itback up to standard.

The cost of the renovations mustamount to more than 20% of theproperty price to be eligible. Thehouse must be your primary resi-dence, ie: you must live there for atleast eight months a year. Interestrates vary between 1.5% and 3% andrepayments can be spread over fiveto 20 years.

There is no guarantee the employerwill accept. They have a right to offerloans to priority groups such asunder-30s and, equally, can say no ifthe fund is running low that year.

Prêt d’Accession SocialeThis is a state backed loan for low-earners to buy a primary residenceor carry out renovation work on anexisting home totalling at least€4,000. You are eligible if your 2009tax-assessable income was less than€18,955 if you live alone, €25,313 asa couple or €36,478 for a couplewith two children.

SINCE 2007, first-time buyers inFrance can claim a tax credit equalto 40% of their first-year mortgageinterest and 20% for the next four

years. The credit is capped at €3,750for a single person, €7,500 for a cou-ple and an extra €500 for each childor other dependent.

If you meet the eligibility criteriafor some of the non-commercialmortgages listed in the previous sec-tion, you might also be entitled toclaim aide personnalisée au logement(APL) from your local Caissed’Allocations Familiales.

APL is designed to help relativelylow earners who have built, boughtor improved a home to meet therepayments on their loans.

The benefit is paid directly to thelender, meaning your part of therepayment is reduced.

Eligibility depends on your familysituation and income, and the bene-fit is renewed for each year you meetthe criteria.

More information is available fromyour CAF or the DirectionDépartmentale de l’Equipement(DDE) – ask your mairie for details.

Various local and regional councilshave their own schemes to helphome owners make improvements,introduce energy efficient measuresor adapt their property for disabledaccess. You can get more informa-tion from your local ADIL.

ONCE your mortgage and otherloans are confirmed, you can arrangea date for completion: the signatureof the acte authentique.

You should have been sent a draftof the acte a few weeks before, whichshould be checked thoroughly.

If you are moving into the housemid-year, the seller might ask that aclause be included in the acte shar-ing the cost of the residential taxesfor that year.

Normally taxe d’habitation andtaxe foncière apply to the owner andoccupant on January 1. The actemight require that the tax be sharedon a pro-rata basis.

You will need to apply for buildingsinsurance on the new property tostart from the date the acte is signed.

It is advisable to attend the comple-tion in person but if this is not possi-ble you can give a power of attorneyto a trusted person.

The acte is signed by both partiesin front of a notaire. You will also beasked to bring your birth certificateand passport and a marriage certifi-cate, where applicable.

You must also make sure thatcleared funds are with the notaire bythe completion date.

Once the acte is signed, the notairewill settle all the accounts: payingthe seller, the estate agent, the tax-man and himself. The notaire willthen inform the estate agent to handover the keys.

Benefits

Other loans

The acte de vente

Pre-approval willgive you the edgeJo Cowling is a French mortgage expert at InternationalPrivate Finance (www.international-privatefinance.com)

IT IS a good idea to get yourself pre-approved for your French mortgageto ensure you are in the strongestposition to negotiate with the ven-dor, and also to make sure that yourproperty purchase is completed asquickly as possible.

You can even arrange an agreementin principle before you have foundyour dream property. This provides

a number of significant advantages:It provides you with the peace of

mind of knowing you have the fundsin place to complete your purchase

It shows the vendor that you are aserious buyer

For an agreement in principle tobe provided you will have completeda large proportion of the mortgageapplication process.

As a result you will be in a positionto complete the process and theproperty purchase in minimal timeonce the compromis has beensigned.

A MORTGAGE EXPERT ADVISES...

THE authoritative guide tobuying a home in France

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

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

See our website www.connexionfrance.com

Page 15: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010
Page 16: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 201016 Classifieds

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GREAT NEW SERVICE! Do you have a car or unwanted item to sell? Would you like to rent out a property - or meetnew friends? Reach people local to youfor FREE with The Normandy Advertiser IF you have an item to sell or give away, if you are looking to buy or sell a home or acar - or are offering accommodation we can help. The Advertiser, the English-language community newspaper for Normandy, offers

great visibility with our small adverts appearing in print and also online at our websitewww.normandyadvertiser.com All readers offering items of a value of under €250 on a non-commercial basis can

place an advert of up to 150 characters COMPLETELY FREE. Personal adverts, com-munity items, job adverts and items involving animals and pets are also FREE for 150characters. The maximum time for free adverts to run is 3 months.Adverts can be placed online at www.normandyadvertiser.com and should appear on

the site within one working day and in the next edition of the Normandy Advertiser(the deadline is the 5th of the month for the next month’s print edition). If you are selling an item whose value is over €250 - or you are placing a commercial

classified you have three options for paid advertising.

1: Lineage. Up to 150 characters = €25 TTC. Up to 300 characters = €50 2: Bold lineage. Up to 150 characters in bold = €30 TTC. Up to 300 characters = €60 3: A special feature box - this is an ideal way to sell a property or a car. This comprises up to 150 (or 300) characters in a box with a colour photograph =€50TTC (or €75TTC for 300 characters).* See examples on the facing page.

Rates are for one print edition and 45 days online. To place a paid-for advert of morethan 150 characters please email the text to [email protected] and call us to make payment.*Item is not boxed but runs with a photograph on our website

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The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 Classifieds 17

JOBS OFFERED TTHHEE FFRREENNCCHH PPRROOPPEERRTTYY AAGGEENNTTSS arelooking for consultants in Normandyand into Brittany, especially experi-enced agents currently in propertysales. Newcomers also welcome.Experience and skills required: French& English min A-level, Self motivation,drive, accuracy and enthusiasm, Owna car, digital camera, mobile and com-puter, Available min 30 hours/ week.In return, you will get high agency com-mission, Integrated website access,Tel support, Local training inNormandy area. Please contact 06 1917 34 61/ [email protected] TTEEAACCHHEERR IINN GGRRAANNVVIILLLLEE fora lycée student needing home tuitionseveral hours a week. You must havesome teaching experience and bequalified to degree level. Please sendCV and covering letter in French toSophie Ajuste at [email protected] SSEECCRREETTAARRYY RREEQQUUIIRREEDD,Gavray area, either auto-entrepre-neur or self-employed. Higher than Alevel equivalent French, spoken andwritten, a must. Contact 06 19 17 346 1 / i n f o @ n o r m a n d y l i f e . c o m01.44.70.06.86JJMMLLPP CCOONNSSUULLTTAANNTTSS RREECCRRUUTTEEContrôleur Financier, H/F, en Basse-Normandie, avec expérience encomptabilité et consolidation,maîtrise de l'anglais.Ref RFJ. [email protected] FFOORR TTHHEE OORRNNEE. LesBons Voisins, www.LBVfrance.com,Property Management Specialists,are looking to recruit in dept 61.Please contact Sally Stone on +33 (2)97 39 32 14/ [email protected],, FFRREENNCCHH BBEEAAUUTTYY prod-ucts, are looking for home sales con-sultants in Normandy. A flexible wayto earn extra income.Call 06 77 08 98 26 (French)GGRRIILLLLAARRDDIINN((EE))// CCOOMMMMIISS DDEE CCUUIISSIINNEEfor 5 month contract in Beauvoir, nrMont St Michel, I year's experience.Fluent French.Contact M. Drageon, LaRotisserie. tel 02 33 60 23 84

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PPUURREE BBRREEDD SSUUFFFFOOLLKK RRAAMM requiredfor either loan or hire in December toservice our 5 ewes. We are inL'Epinay le Comte, between Gorronand Passais. Can collect and bringback. Please call 02 33 38 08 86

VEHICLESFFOORRDD FFOOCCUUSS EESSTTAATTEE, great family

car, petrol, 63,553km. A bargain atonly €8,500. Contact NissanDessoude Concession Saint-Lô. Tel02 33 75 66 66, www.concession-nisssan-dessoude.com

HHOONNDDAA CCRRVV,, 11999999,, 112200,,000000 MMIILLEESS,petrol, RH drive, automatic. All paper-work provided to change plates.Only 2,500 euros. Call James on02 33 69 40 16/ 06 88 66 28 98

PROPERTY EXCHANGEDDOO YYOOUU WWAANNTT TTOO RREELLOOCCAATTEE to theUK? Maybe we can part-exchangeyour French Property with ours, situ-ated in the much sought after area ofPenn Hill, Poole, Dorset, BH14.Ground floor Apartment, 2Bedrooms, 2 Bath/Shower rooms,Lounge/Diner, Fully fitted kitchenwith integrated White goods, Gas"Combi" central heating, Video EntrySystem, Patio with Direct gardenaccess, Underground parking withDirect Lift access, Small block of only14 apartments built approx 4 years.Approx 5 mins to Shops andSandbanks Beach. Current MarketValue £220,000 or ( Euro Equivalent)Will part exchange a French Propertywith value up to £120,000 or (Euroexchange equivalent rate).Contact [email protected] (0033) 02 43 05 41 68/(0044) 07860 273229

PROPERTY RENTALS LLUUXXUURRYY GGÎÎTTEE, wing of 16th CenturyHunting Lodge with heated swimmingpool. Private gardens, close toAlençon. www.normandyholiday-gites.com

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Make cash from your unwanted items. Classified adverts are FREE for private sales of items under €€250. Place your advert via our website ww.normandyadvertiser.comCLASSIFIEDS

THE Bridge Hotel, Helmsdale, locatedin the Highlands of Scotland, is lookingfor a couple to run this small country-side hotel, with a French touch.

After several changes in manage-ment, the hotel has gone from strengthto strength in the last three years and isnow breaking even. The owners wouldlike to take it to the next higher level.

If you are experienced in running aboutique hotel and are interested in thechallenge of pushing a small business tobecome a profitable venture, then youcould also receive shares in the enter-prise.

The hotel has 18 en suite rooms, tworestaurants, a bar and a residents’lounge. It is open all year round withthe summer being the busiest time.

The bar has over 200 whiskies – oneof the largest collection in northernScotland. The owners would like to fur-ther improve the two restaurants, TheGreen Stag and The Red Lobster toeventually rank among the best in thenorth of Scotland.

The hotel has its own lobster tanks,while also available locally are crabs,scallops, oysters mussels, langoustinesand all the North Sea fish.

From the hills and the woods thekitchen can receive grouse, woodcock,snipe, pheasant, partridge, duck,pigeons, red deer, white hare and rab-bits, as well as prime beef and lamb.

The hotel would like to continue topromote its restaurants to reach thehighest possible level of eating in theHighlands. The Green Stag has beenshortlisted to host a Chaine desRotisseurs dinner in spring next year.

The successful applicants should haveseveral years experience in running smallhotels, with one preferably being a chef.They must be fluent in spoken English,have great communication and presenta-tion skills, plenty of charm, as well as apassion and keen interest in food. Theymust be pro-active, client-focused andwill be in charge of the whole operation,including the team of five to ten co-work-ers depending on the season.

If you are interested in hunting andfly fishing for salmon or trout yourself,then the northern Highlands is theright place for you and we will help youto find the right contacts for you to pur-sue your hobbies.

The hotel maintains a picturesque,furnished, two bedroom cottage nearby,overlooking the village, the Helmsdalevalley and the North Sea which is avail-able to the successful applicants to rentat £350 per month, plus council tax,electricity, water and heating at approx-imately £120.

The combined salary will depend onthe experience and skills of both appli-cants and ranges between £35,000 and£40,000. The managing couple may eatfree at the hotel, either with the staff orin one of the restaurants if they wish.Successful applicants will be invited topropose how they would partake in theshare of the profit in the future. Formore information, visit www.bridgeho-tel.net

Please send CVs and photos [email protected] Starting date is atthe earliest convenience.

Wanted: hotelmanagers

Job Advertisement

NISSAN TERRANO II 2.7L, TDISPORT, diesel, 87,865km. 2004.Excellent country car at only €11,500Contact Nissan Dessoude ConcessionS a i n t - L ô .Tel 02 33 75 66 66, www.conces-sion-nisssan-dessoude.com

FOR SALE LARGE MULTI FUELSTOVE, made in Holland, 10.5K, blackcast iron and ornate, fire bricks ingood condition. 870high, 480 wide,430 deep. 375 euros ONO. LignièresOrgères. Can deliver. Contact 02 43 03 20 1406 35 95 44 63 / [email protected]

NISSAN MICRA, 1.4L, AUTOMATIC.Great run around. Petrol 20,276 km.2007. €10,900 Contact NissanDessoude Concession Saint-Lô. Tel 02 33 75 66 66, www.conces-sion-nisssan-dessoude.com

NISSAN NOTE, DIESEL, 2008. Only34241kms on the clock and a snip at€13,900. Contact Nissan DessoudeConcession Saint-Lô. Tel 02 33 75 66 66, www.concession-nisssan-dessoude.com

STUNNING COUNTRY PROPERTY inBricquebec, Cotentin Peninsula.House plus outbuildings and 3,860m²of land. 4 bedrooms.Ref 92561. 400,000 euros, fees notincluded. Contact GimazaneImmobilier, Valognes .www.gimazane-immobilier.com Tel +33 (0)2 33 95 12 24

DELIGHTFUL DETACHED STONECottage in St Symphorien Le Valois,50, fitted kitchen, living room, 3 bed-rooms, bathroom and 2 WCs. 552m²of land. Ref: 31058. 125,000 euros,fees not incl. Contact GimazaneImmobilier, La Haye du Puitswww.gimazane-immobilier.comTel +33 (0)2 33 17 17 03 RESTAURANT BUSINESS FOR SALE,

Licence 1V, in Varaville, 14390, nrCabourg, including restaurant, func-tion room, bar, private parking, terrace,4 rooms for B&B and living area with 4rooms. Price 150,000€, Rent 1,180€a month. Contact 06 69 72 57 66.French-speaker.

IDEAL HOLIDAY HOME in Rauville laBigot, Manche.19th Century StoneCottage with fireplace.796m² land.Outbuilding to renovate. Ref 81650.110,000 euros fees not incl. ContactGimazane Immobilier, Les Pieuxwww.gimazane-immobilier.comTel +33 (0) 2 33 52 39 19

MUST BE VIEWED! Beautiful Houseclose to St Martin de Landelles, inthe Manche. Only 30 mins from theMont Saint Michel.Would make afantastic family home. 220,150euros - all fees included Contact Alion 06 59 18 68 57/ www.maison-snormandy.com/ [email protected]

SUPERB EQUESTRIAN PROPERTY.Currently a breeding stud, situated inthe heart of an Equestrian person'sdream. 280,675 euros all fees includ-ed. Contact Ali: 06 59 18 68 57/www.maisonsnormandy.com/[email protected]

Fill in your details (in capitals please):

Name: ________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Postcode: ____________ Town: ___________________________ Telephone: ____________________________________________Email: ____________________________________________

We would like to send you a weekly email with news and practical information about life in France. If you do NOT wish to receive this, pleasetick here. You can unsubscribe at any time. We will never pass your details onto a third party.Postage (see above) ___________ Total number of helpguides _____________

Income tax forms NEW! 2010 €€5

French wealth tax 2010 NEW! €€5

Currency exchange NEW! €€5

Auto-entrepreneur NEW! €€5

CESU - employing people at your home €€5

Death in France €€5

Residential taxes €€5

Buying property in France - the SCI option, produced in exclusive association with theConseils des Notaires de France €€7.50

Role of a Notaire and their fees, produced in exclusive association with the Conseils des Notaires de France €€7.50

Buying or selling a home, produced in exclusive associa-tion with the Conseils des Notaires de France €€7.50

Tax rebates for environmentally-friendly products €€5

Letting out your French home to tourists (Excluding Paris) €€5

Retirement Homes €€5

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The Connexion can print out and postcopies of the helpguides to you. The cost for this is:

- for a French address = €2 - for an EU address = €3 - for a non EU address = €5

This is in addition to the €5 (or €7.50)cost of each guide. You pay this postagecharge only once regardless of the num-ber of helpguides on the same order.Please tick the boxes of the helpguides

you require and indicate the totalincluding postage as the bottom.Payment must be by euro cheque (from a French bank). Cheques shouldbe made payable toThe Connexion and sent to: The Connexion, 38 rue Grimaldi,Monaco, 98000 You can also order by calling (free from France) 0800 91 77 56 orfrom UK 0844 246 9881 (4p/min)

Independent helpguideson healthcare, tax andother important topics

The Connexion, France’s English-language newspaper, has

produced a series of helpguides on practical topics.

The guides address questions abouteveryday life in France that the

Connexion office frequently receives. These include how to fill out a French income tax form,

residential taxes, residential care homes in France, employing help at home such as a gardener and letting out

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

independently by Connexion journalists or in association with Conseils des Notaires

(the official publishing arm of the notaires).

Got a query about life in France?

AXE VIRE-VASSY(14): Ideal holidayhome or first time buy. Detached 2 bedvillage house. Garden of approx. 894m².Attached car port. Viewing recommend-ed. SOLE AGENCY. Price €65.300 HNI(Réf.1382 Vire) Contact Suzanne06.22.71.66.64/ [email protected]

GATHEMO(50) Ideal first time buyer. 2bed semi-detached village house ingood order throughout built over abasement. Garden and outbuilding.SOLE AGENCY Price €65.300 HNI(Réf.2895 Mortain) Contact Suzanne06.22.71.66.64/ [email protected]

COULOUVRAY BOISBENÂTRE(50) :Immaculate stone house in quiet ruralhamlet with just under 3 acres of landand old bakery. VIEWING ESSENTIAL.SOLE AGENCY.Price €150.500 HNI(Réf.3900 Villedieu) Contact Suzanne06.22.71.66.64/ [email protected]

Page 18: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010
Page 19: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

AllianzInsuranceMayenne

Friendly, English speaking agent

House, Car andHealth Insuranceplus savings account

at 4% netinterest, freewithdrawal.

Tel 02 43 05 21 82

[email protected]

www.english-speaking-insurance.com

Orias 09052461

AXAInsurance

Agence Vigneau CherbourgYour French Insurance In English

Health - Home - CarCall Thomas: 02 33 52 87 46

[email protected]

FRENCH INSURANCE - IN ENGLISH

For peoplewho live in / own

property in FranceStraight-forward, honest

advice on the besthouse, car, life & health

insurance policies for youOver 15 years

experience in Frenchinsurance marketsEnglish, Dutch & German spoken.

Philippe Schreinemacherswww.insurance.fr

Tel: 00 33 05 62 29 20 00Email: [email protected] Auch B479 400 657

Regions: All France

bml angloagence.comEnglish registered cars

House insuranceHealth cover

1700 British clients trust us02 96 87 21 21

[email protected], Brittany

AXA INSURANCE

J. LECLUZEST HILAIRE DU HARCOUET

50600

HOME - CAR - HEALTHWe insure UK registered cars

ENGLISH SPOKEN(call Angeline)

02 33 49 12 [email protected]

AllianZ InsuranceCAR HOME

HEALTHInsurance in

Lower Normandy Christophe Marie, Vire

Tel: 02 31 68 01 96 Email: [email protected]

Siret N° ORIAS 07/022 348

THE ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

THIS ADVERTISEMENT COSTS€€165HT for a year

Call our sales teamFreephone in France

0800 91 77 56From UK 0844 256 9881 (4p/min)

Email: [email protected]

www.connexionfrance.com

Enjoy sharing yourculture for extra income

Become an Englishhost family

Let’s speak?

[email protected] 14 82 59 94

www.letsspeak.net

Cours àCucugnan

Yes, you canLEARN FRENCH !

At your own speed, in private lessonswith professionalteacher (British).Study-holidays in

stunning scenery: tuition plus self-cateringaccommodation.

Tel: 06 78 15 19 29http://www.cours-a-cucugnan.com Email: [email protected]

Regions Covered: All france Siret In progress

NORMANDYFRENCH TUITIONQualified bilingual teacherSmall groups, 1 to 1, intensive

courses, translation, paperwork

Tél: 02 33 65 39 73www.normandyfrenchtuition.com

Mascha TaniaTranslator-Administrative Help

Lifetime experience of the French system.

Privacy Guaranteed.Tel: 02 31 67 60 55 / 06 79 86 22 69

Siret 451 736 318 00010

Crafts at Les LandesSpinning and other crafts.

Half, Full day tuition orresidential courses

www.crafts-at-leslandes.comtel: 00 33 (0)2 33 960904

SIRET No 489 459 438 00011

CERTIFIED TRANSLATIONS

All legal translationsby French-

English speaking

sworn translator

Property-legal-birthcert., driving licencesAdministrative help

Expat assistancewith 25 years of experience

Regions : All FRANCEKaren RENEL-KINGTel: 06 18 03 18 38

Email: [email protected]: www.certified

frenchtranslation.comFast and affordableSiret: 38058374000028

Help with theFrench system• Paperwork, Phone calls• Translation, Interpreting

Call Hilary Reynolds00 33 (0) 2 33 59 17 07

www.leapfrogservices.net

GitecompareFor

Accommodationand TouristBusinessesIncludingHoliday

Auctionswww.gitecompare.com

france 4 savvy people

SW COMPUTERSPC Repairs, Upgrades

New and SecondHand Sales.

Help with dial up andBroadband Internet

ConnexionsCall out or Bring to Us.Tel: Mark 02 33 90 64 93Mobile: 06 72 66 61 51Web: www.swcomputers.eu

Email: [email protected]: 483 973 863 000 10

WEBSITESBoost your business with anaffordable, high-performance

website that you canedit yourself

www.rob-tomlinson.comTel: 05 62 67 39 98

[email protected]: All France Siret: 419 490 297 00027

Penny Graphicswebsites

from

75€€including design, hosting

and domain name

pennygraphics.net02 33 90 92 15

Chenil du Val KennelsSmall, friendly, professional kennel

Special care/attention for your pets.Quarantine alternative

Contact Angie: Tel 02 33 17 17 61Between Periers/Coutances/St LoEmail: [email protected]

Siret 50993743900016

ANIMAL COURIERSExperienced couriers

specialising in pettravel between France / UK /

Spain or within France. Pet passport advice.Tel: 0044 (0) 1483200123

Email: [email protected]: www.animalcouriers.com

CCaattss WWhhiisskkeerrssCCaatttteerryy

caters solely for catslarge heated pens all withindividual outside areas

Tel: 02 33 49 11 57email: [email protected]

www.catswhiskerscattery.pi8.comSiret 51060809400015

THE ADVERTISERDIRECTORY

THIS DOUBLE COLOURDIRECTORY COSTS

€399HT for a yearCall our sales team

Freephone in France0800 91 77 56

From UK0844 256 9881 (4p/min)

Email: [email protected]

www.connexionfrance.com

GOLDENWAYINTERNATIONAL PETS

World Wide Pet Transporter /

RelocatorMinistry approved

No. 61195004 – 61195001Offices CDG Airport Paris

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

www.goldenwaypets.comSiret: 397549551

Acorn Kennels & Cattery

Qualified and professionalcare of your pet while

you are awaywww.AcornKennelsandCattery.com

Tel: 02 33 49 63 22 Siret: 479 825 168 00012

Chenil Les Mille CalinsEnglish Run

5 Star accommodationfor Dogs/Cats

Comprising of underfloor heated kennels Qualified staff

Top Quality food and exercise

Only 45 minutes south of Caen

Convenient Ferry AccessSAFETY COMFORT ANDCARE FOR YOUR PET,

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

Fax 02 33 38 44 16

NORMANDY KENNELSSmall, caring and qualified

English run kennelsand cattery

Contact Jon or SueTel 02 31 67 93 48Near Vire Dept 14

[email protected]

Siret 48914001200019

The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 Directory 19

Exclusive online and print listings of tradesmen andbusinesses across Normandy that speak English

THE ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

Organised by servicetype - it’s quick and easy to find English-speaking businesses near you

“I have found advertising in The Normandy Advertiservery much worth my while as many of my clients are loyal readers.Michael Bambridge ENGLISH CARPENTER JOINER02 33 50 40 [email protected]

Advertise here all year from just €165HT

Read what our advertisers say about the results

Page 20: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

RenoartisanbuildersKitchens, bathrooms,

loft conversions,electrical work,

carpentry.Complete renovations,

to minor works.All work carried out by

quality, registered tradesmen.10 yr decennale insurance.

See our new website formore Information:

www.renoartisanbuilders.frTel: 06 32 02 76 33

Email: [email protected]

Mark DupeeLANDSCAPEGARDENER

Est 1994

Mowing, Hedge Cutting,Clearance, Maintenance,Fencing, Decking, Patios,

Property Management.

Tel: 02 33 90 92 28Mobile: 06 68 74 83 41

Email: [email protected] 49509842800016

Kitchens, Bathrooms& Loft Conversions

Renovations, all aspects of buildingworks, electrical, plumbing.

Tel: 03 22 32 50 02Email: [email protected]

All Northern Regions ConsideredSiret No. 394 360 945 00015

GARDEN MAINTENANCE

Garden ClearanceGrass CuttingHedge Cutting

Strimming and Weed KillingTel: Charlie 02 33 91 78 05

Email: [email protected] Sever Area

Siret 49763502900018

Seans Garden ServicesLawns – Hedges – TreesOvergrown plots cleared.

Free quotes for one-off jobs.Call Sean 02 33 57 86 02Email: sean.melanaphy@

wanadoo.frSiret: 50139841600013

WIDE OAKFLOORING

LOW PRICES DIRECTFROM PRODUCER

www.wide-oak-flooring.comPhone Bill 02 31 63 94 36

Siret 83661000014

CHIMNEYSWEEP

Expert, mess-freeservice from

a dedicated andprofessional

English Sweep.Steve Bainton-Smith at

Black Cat Services;02 33 50 84 91

email; [email protected]: 50,14,61

“Proud to be associated withThe Stove Shack for premierstove and liner installation.”

ELECTRICIAN / PLUMBERand HEATING ENGINEER

French RegisteredOver 35 years experience

David Christie02 33 51 05 91

Mobile: 06 31 97 58 15Email: [email protected]

South Manche Siret: 481 604 411 00019

Francois LabadieAgence immobilière

Currently looking formore houses to market

on our portfolioAli Lamerton-Hunt 06 59 18 68 57

Email: [email protected]: www.maisonsnormandy.com

HOUSES ONINTERNETDo you wantto sell your

house quickly?Our fee is only 2.5%

Find out how on:

WWW.HOUSESONINTERNET.

COM

Tel: 05 55 65 12 19

Andrew Morgan

Electrician All works guaranteed and carried out

to French regulations standard.Tel: 02 31 67 34 40

Email: [email protected] Covered: 50,61,and 14

Siret: 49427469900011

THE ADVERTISERDIRECTORYTHIS DOUBLE

DIRECTORY COSTS

€285HT for a yearCall our sales team

Freephone in France0800 91 77 56

From UK0844 256 9881 (4p/min)

Email: [email protected]

www.connexionfrance.com

JS MenuiserieJohn Shipton

02 33 55 15 90Carpenter/JoinerAll kinds of handmade furniture

and carpentry work.From door fittings to kitchens.

email: [email protected] 499 313 658

English Carpenter/JoinerMichael Bambridge BSc

Very experienced in renovationand carpentry including

stairs and furnitureTel: 02 33 50 40 24

Email: [email protected]: 48131662800017

Stuart Upton CARPENTRY &

ROOFINGFull 10 year Insurance

Backed Guarantee Tel: 02 33 64 89 28 / 06 06 43 52 28Email: [email protected]

Regions Covered 61, 14, 50Siret 48036552700013

NEWHOUSEChambre de Métiers registeredStonemason, Structural Timber

Roofing and Renovation Specialist100% Reliable

Tel: Terry 06 78 79 67 72 / 09 63 58 72 79

Email: [email protected] : 509430009600016

Andrew Hadfield

BUILDERAll building works undertaken.

Mini digger, Full Registered,10 year decennale insurance.

Tel: 02 33 61 72 90Email: [email protected]: Near St Hilaire

Siret: 499 532 059 00015

JOHN DAVIES RENOVATIONSAll types ofrenovation

work undertaken15 years experience in France.

tel 02 33 57 12 22mob 06 13 72 75 53

[email protected] 444.648.828.000.10

WWW.BOCAGERENOVATIONS.COM

For All YourBuilding &

Renovations WorksLarge or Small Projects

( Many can be Viewed )Backed up by 10 year Insurance

14 years working in France

Tel: 02 31 67 62 51Mob: 06 19 91 29 48

Email: [email protected]: 48877612100011

Mesnil RenovationAreas 14/50/61

Full / Part Renovations, carpentry,masonry, plastering, tiling, kitchens,

replacement windows and doors.www.buildersnormandy.com

Tel. 02 31 09 26 54Siret 48423125300010

Architect. Resident in Normandy.

Wide experience including interior

and garden designs. Tel: 02 33 49 69 26.

Regions: 14/15/50/61Siret: 50409652000011

NORMANDYMECHANIC

Mowers, Tractors, Generators,Mixers, Dumpers, Diggers and More

25 yrs. Experience06 83 27 04 17

[email protected]: 512818709

Kilrush Cars Ltd

A large selection ofEuropean

Left Hand Drive

CarsOne owner - FSH - C.O.CTel: 00 44 (0) 1252 782883

www.kilrushcars.com

Kilrush Cars Ltd

HUGESAVINGS!!!

BRANDNEW LHD

CARS NOWIN STOCK

INSIGNIA & TOURERZAFIRA

ASTRA & CORSAALL AVAILABLE

Tel: 00 44 (0) 1252 782883www.kilrushcars.com

DEVILLE PROPERTYSERVICESBarn & attic

conversion specialists.

We undertake allaspects of renovation

& improvementprojects.

We legally employEnglish speaking staff& do not sub-contract.

Full 10 year insurancebacked guarantee.

TEL: 02 31 67 76 90www.devilleservices.com

Areas: 14 , 50 , 61 Siret: 45026366000018

THE ADVERTISERDIRECTORYTHIS DOUBLE

DIRECTORY COSTS

€285HT for a yearCall our sales team

Freephone in France0800 91 77 56

From UK0844 256 9881 (4p/min)

Email: [email protected]

www.connexionfrance.com

GENERAL BUILDERRoofs, Loft conversionsPlumbing & Electrical,

Groundworks.Experienced team forall renovation work.

________________________

TIMBER PRESERVATION Eradication of rot andwoodboring insects20 year certificatedguarantee covering

all France

Tel: Jim +33 ( 0 ) 679274563Email: [email protected]

Siret 488081233

The Advertiser, Normandy September 201020 Directory Advertising Feature

IN THE late 1980’s and 1990’s the majority ofReflex Moodys’ customers were moving toFrance with very little return traffic.

It is a very different situation today withmany households returning to the UK and thecompany has adapted with two new services tohelp anyone in France wanting to bring objectsover from the UK and another for people look-ing to move back.

The reasons for moving back are varied butfamilies often leave France prior to purchas-ing a new home in the UK. In this caseReflex Moodys can offer both short and longterm storage for this interim period.

With fewer moves going to France, the com-pany is widening its field, and will transport agreater variety of goods from the UK to France.

For customers who buy online from UK sup-pliers, Reflex Moodys offers the use of its ware-

house in Salisbury, Wiltshire as a deliveryaddress in the UK.

From there, the goods are then shipped toFrance on the next available trip, normallywithin two weeks.

Commodities that the company will currentlytransport include building materials, beds, tim-ber, flooring, to name a few.

Foodstuffs can be transported as long as theyare not perishable and Reflex Moodys is cur-

rently awaiting its first grocery order. Prices vary from £50+VAT for a five cubic-

foot carton (which can be shared) to£300+VAT for two heavy pallets of tiles.

Prices are negotiable depending upon thelocation of the customer.

Reflex Moodys Ltd (previously Reflex Move),was established in 1986 by Peter Rattue.

The company has specialised in moving cus-tomers’ belongings between the UK and Francefor the past 24 years.

Warehouse

They are based in Salisbury, Wiltshire, andthe company operates seven vehicles from theirmodern warehouse premises.

Vehicles range from 3.5 tonne vans, which areuseful for collecting part loads in the homecounties, to a 28-tonne lorry and drawbar trail-er which frequently travels to France carrying amultitude of part loads.

Such is the demand for moves between theUK and France, that Reflex Moodys send onaverage one vehicle to France every week.There are nine full-time employees, eight ofwhom regularly travel to France.

For further information please visitwww.reflexmoodys.com

Need goods transportingfrom the UK to France?We can move them atcompetitive rates sayReflex Moodys

ROLLING: The firm’s fleetranges from 3.5 tonnevans to a 28 tonne lorry

Household movers expand their services

Page 21: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

Looking for keyholder to showrental properties in Beaubec LaRosiere near Forges les EauxPlease call 0044 150 271 3485

Are you looking for extraincome?Phoenix Trading offers youthe opportunity to set upyour own business workingeither full or part time with a range of high quality greeting cards and stationeryproducts. There is no pressure or targets to reachbut as much training andsupport as you need.To receive a free informationpack, please contact:Sarah Barthen / IndependentDistributor Phoenix n° FR-11702 Tel: 06 26 63 01 26Email: [email protected]: 50517863200020TVA: FR51505178632

JOBS OFFERED

HEALTH

CLASSIFIEDS

TO PLACE ACLASSIFIED ADVERT

log on to www.connexionfrance.com

and click on‘classified ads’

WOODBURNERSAsh Grove Stoves

Supplier ofHunter - Villager

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

Lowest Prices Guaranteed

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

[email protected]

Work &Safety WearPlain/Printed, Polos to 7XL,

T's to 3XL, Boots to 13+Much More!

www.veti-travail.eu09 73 00 84 34

WOOD STOVE STUDIOWood burning stoves and

Cuisinieres from

Cashin CaminaCleanburn Esse Hunter

Parkray Stovaxon display at our dept 61 showroom

Selkirk chimneyand flexible liner

Full installation service

www.woodstovestudio.com [email protected]

Tel 02 33 12 57 26Siret 498 597 632 00013

WOODBURNERSBY

THE STOVE SHACKESSE - HUNTER - WOODWARM- Full lining and installation

of all Stoves - Free Survey and Advice

in Depts 14,50,61- Stoves eligible for

Credit d'impots- 20 yrs experience - HETAS and NVQ

QualifiedTel 02 33 17 25 21

[email protected]

Siret No 510 070 535 00016

INVICTA INTERNATIONAL LIGHT HAULAGE SERVICES

Store Collections,General Removals,

Motorcycle Recovery.France, UK, Europe.

SIRET Number 51407345.1-0001.5

REMOVALSFREE quote, FREE

short-term storage,self-pack - save money.www.BritServ.com

FR 02 99 98 31 81UK 0208 144 3538

FISHFACE REMOVALS UK - FRANCE - UK

Full and part loads You pack, we move, you save!

0044 (0)1327 264627 UKEmail: [email protected]

www.fishfaceremovals.com

REFLEX MOODYS LTDSALISBURY

REMOVALSUK - FRANCE - UK

• Weekly Service • Full & Part Loads• Container Storage

• BAR Members• On-line Quotation• Internet Shopping

Deliveries00 44 1722 414350

[email protected]

Company Regn No: UK 5186435TVA / VAT No: UK 864 7217 04

D & KREMOVALS

Removals toand from France.

Best prices, best service.T: + 44 (0) 079705 30723

E: [email protected]

George White EuropeanTransport

Special rates to S/W France13.6m/45ft trailer - Full/Part loads

Removals/materials/vehiclesOwner driver. RHA memberTel: +44 (0)7768 867 360Fax: +44 (0)1773 570 090

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

BERTIN COUVERTURE15 Years experience in

roofing and zincNew and restauration / Chimney Sweep

02 33 38 28 86With 10 years insuranceSiret: 50792761400010

POWER & LIGHT SERVICESELECTRICAL & PLUMBING

ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBINGSERVICES, ALL WORK

FULLY INSURED.Tel: 02 33 70 88 24

Email: [email protected] Covered: 50,14,61,22

Siret: 515 210 847 00015

HHoolliiddaayy LLeettttiinngg &&PPrrooppeerrttyy MMaannaaggeemmeennttHoliday Booking Management, 7/7Bilingual Assistance, Changeovers,

Security Checks, Translations.Mob: +33 (0)6 30 28 13 67 Tel: +33 (0)2 31 86 14 01

Email: [email protected]

Regions covered: 14, 50, 61Siret: 511 964 983 000 15

BOOTH & COGGaarrddeenn MMaaiinntteennaaiinnccee

LLaannddssccaappiinngg,,CCoonnssttrruuccttiioonn ooff DDeecckkiinngg,,

DDrriivveess,, FFeenncciinngg aanndd GGaatteessFFuullllyy IInnssuurreedd

Tel: 02 33 59 36 39email: [email protected]

Siret: 49123150200015

GENERAL BUILDINGSERVICES (76)

Ground Works (mini digger)Septic Tanks

Renovation / RefurbishmentRoofing and Joinery

Kitchens / BathroomsMaintenance / Repairs

Total Project Management35 years experience (NHBC UK)

SIRET: 517 429 056 000 16Fully Insured

LAWS CONSTRUCTION02 35 97 00 56 06 21 09 08 23

[email protected]

Fosse Septic installationsAll Groundworks

Equine ArenasDrives & ditching

Ponds & landscapingAreas 50,14,53,61,35

KG EXCAVATIONS02 33 59 91 73 / 06 50 58 94 49

www.fosseboss.com

Fitzgerald Garden Services

Regular Maintenance including:

Mowing, Strimming,Hedges and Weeding

We are happy to quote for:

Clearing overgrown plots,Tree Felling, Rotavating

and Lawn creationReferences Available

Contact Peter/Trudie at:Tel: 02 33 59 42 46

Mobile: 06 78 41 85 78Email: [email protected]

Siret 48495870700016

PJM LOCATION PLANT HIRE & SALES

Mini diggers and machinery available.For hire and sale.

Tel: +33 (0)2.33.30.89.20Email: [email protected]

Web: www.pjmtoolhire.comRegions Covered: Lower Normandy

Siret: 449247550

ChimneySweep

Wood StoveInstallationProperty

ManagementIain Davison

www.propertycarepeople.comTel: 02 33 14 09 55

Email: [email protected]: 494799968

CHARLES WILKINS (Crouttes) Garden design, construction

& advice. Patios, decking, garden buildings

RHS qualified Tel: 02 33 67 24 96

Email: [email protected] Regions Covered 14, 61

Siret 50404254000022

The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 Directory 21

Win a great day outin photo competition

The tourist board terms and conditions are as follows: The competition is open toanyone aged 18 years or over. You may submit as many photos as you wish. The closingdate is 9.00 on September 15. Any entries received after the closing date will not beconsidered. Illegible, incomplete, late or defaced entries will be disqualified. The winning entry will be selected by a jury at thetourist board and the winners will be notified by email or telephone. The judges’ decision is final and binding. No correspon-dence will be entered into regarding the outcome of the decision. The indicative value of the prize mentioned in this article isbased on four adults at the Cité de la Mer in Cherbourg. The prize cannot be exchanged in part or whole for cash and is nottransferable. The free tickets are valid from September 15 until the end of 2010, subject to opening restrictions. Booking condi-tions apply. By submitting photos, you agree to give the Normandy CRT tourist board and The Advertiser (Normandy) therights to use the images to promote the region and accompany articles about tourist sites. The people featured in the photo andthe place where it was taken should be identified in your entry. Any photos featuring children require express written consentfrom their parents.

YOUR photos of summerfun in Normandy couldwin you free tickets tosome of the region’s topattractions.

Normandy tourist boardis appealing for Advertiserreaders to send in theirbest photos of peopleenjoying activities andattractions around theregion. The closing date isfast approaching

The five best entrants,selected by a jury afterSeptember 15, will eachwin four tickets to theirchoice of either the Cité dela Mer in Cherbourg, theParc des Bisons inMaisoncelles-la-Jourdan orthe zoo in Champrepus orCerza.

The photos need to begood quality digital images(300dpi) and by submittingthem you agree that theycan be used by the they can

be used by the tourist boardand The Advertiser in printand online.

Your entry needs toinclude the details of whois in the photo and whereit was taken. The photoscan only include identifiable children if youare their parent or youhave express written per-mission. We will publishthe list of winners thisautumn in The Advertiser– good luck.

WORTHUP TO

€€72

Photos: CRT Norm

andy

Advertisement

Last opportunity to enter to standa chance of winning free ticketsto top Normandy attractionsClosing date: September 15

Email your photo and descriptions (who andwhere) to [email protected] 9.00 on September 15. Please include acontact telephone number

PRIZES: Each winner will receive four tickets to either the Cité de la Mer, the Parc desBisons or Champrepus or Cerza zoo. Entries must be received by 9.00 on September 15

Page 22: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 201022 Property

FINDING out how much your homeis likely to sell for, or what yourdream property is really worth,could be made much simpler fromlater this year.

The government has announcedplans to bring together and tidy upthe wealth of information currentlypublished by separate groups aboutthe state of the housing market.

It says the current set-up, where dif-ferent sets of figures come out withindays of each other, often with contra-dictory findings, lacks credibility.

It is working to collate and stan-dardise all the data to get a morereliable picture on prices.

A spokesman for housing ministerBenoist Apparu said the first changescould be made this month, and thefirst set of improved data should beavailable in the first quarter of 2011.

The ultimate aim is to publishaccurate house price information atstreet level, giving buyers, sellers andestate agents access to a wealth offigures to help the transaction.

Until then, there appears to be noconsensus on what is happening tohouse prices. Estate agencyCentury21 claimed last month thatprices had soared by 8.5% year onyear in the first half of 2010. Fnaim,the estate agents’ trade body, by con-

trast, claimed prices were broadlystable, up just 0.1%.

The reason for the big differencesis because of different methods andsample sizes.

Century21 bases its figures on thenumber of compromis de vente (pre-sale contracts) signed in its networkof estate agencies, some 23,000transactions in six months. The priceis divided by the property size insquare metres. Similar figures arecompiled by SeLoger.com,MeilleursAgents.com and Laforêt.

Fnaim’s data is also based on thecompromis and comes from a sampleof 10% of agencies, representing

about 5,000 sales a month. Itsmethod has been criticised in thepast: Fnaim delegate Henry Buzy-Cazaux resigned last summer in arow over the reliability of the data.He said the sample was too smalland was giving the organisation abad reputation.

Fnaim insists today that its statisticsare reliable and carefully compiled.Director general Nicolas Thouveninsays: “We take into account every-thing, including the house’s size, loca-tion and level of comfort.”

However, the most complete set ofdata comes from France’s network ofnotaires, who bring out figures every

two months which are backed bynational statistics body Insee. Theydo not systematically collect data onevery sale, but claim to record atleast 85% nationwide, a bigger sam-ple size than the others.

The notaires’ statistics are based onthe price in the final acte de vente (salecontract), not the compromis. Thismeans that last-minute price changesare taken into account, but the figuresare much slower to appear: they canbe up to three months behind the rest.The government wants the notaires topublish the number of pre-sale con-tracts signed as well as actes de venteto speed up the flow of information.

For what it’sworth, houseprice infoneeds caution

VARIETY: A wide range of property price figures are published in France, but they often contradict

The French government wants to givebuyers and sellers access to credible figures on house prices at street level: untilthen, can any of the numbers be trusted?

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Page 23: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 2010 Property 23

Near BourgtheroudeThe property includes: Entrancehall, 2 large reception rooms (70m2), kitchen, sitting-room, 6 bed-rooms, bathrooms,set in 4000 m2

of enclosed garden in a quite area,with easy access to Paris.REF: 130724

€€500,000

Buying or selling a property in or around Normandy?We can help. Our website www.connexionfrance.com carriesdetails of more than 14,000 homes for sale across France. We also feature properties for sale in this dedicated section of

The Advertiser every month. Use the code under each property tofind out more on the website. For sellers, the adverts are also dis-played across a range of popular English-speaking websites which

ensures they are seen by thousands of potential buyers every day. Prices start at just €119TTC for 12 months’ online advertising.

Online advertisers can also place their adverts in The Advertiserfor an additional €60TTC for one month, €150TTC for three editionsand €275TTC for six editions. Contact our sales team for free inFrance on 0800 91 77 56, from the UK on 0844 256 9881(4p/min) or email [email protected] to find out more.

REF: GTF17285

€€91,400 Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët Attractive house for modernisa-tion with around 1Ha land nearChevreville, Manche with asemi-detached barn & log store.Around two & half acres of land.

More details of all the homes shown here - and 14,000 other properties for sale across France - can be seen at www.connexionfrance.com

Enter the code listed with the property to take you straight to the information

More details on all these properties - and how to contact the seller directly - can be found in the property for sale section of www.connexionfrance.com. Simply enter the code under each home to find out more

Houses for sale in and around Normandy

REF: 130716

€€220,000 Seine-MaritimeNormandy house built on largebasement with garage for 2 cars,providing 115 m2 of living spacewith 4 bedrooms. Standing in anenclosed garden of 2500 m2.

Andelys5 bedroom detached house andgarden in the centre of a charm-ing village. Paris 90km, Calais170km. Beauvais Airport (lowcost flights to the UK) 50km.

REF: DOM1230

€€451,500

REF: 134961

€€285,000 Seine-MaritimeThe property has a cellar cover-ing the total floor area of thehouse. Fitted kitchen of 47m2 andsuper new enclosed veranda. Onthe first first floor are 3 bed-rooms, study, and bathroom.

REF: DOM1170

€€367,500Pont-Audemer Fully renovated thatched cottageset in 1.9 hectares. Excellent condition. Barn beingconverted. Quiet and private butnot isolated.

Saint-Hilaire-du-HarcouëtStone house with outbuilding onthe outskirts of a village with7114m2 of grounds. Consistingunderground cellar, 4 rooms onground floor, on the 1st floor 4rooms & 2 washrooms plus attic.REF: GTF17162

€€108,000

REF: 19249

€€117,000 CalvadosThis shingle covered 3 bedroomstone house is set in a 0.5 acreand comes with a garden and anattic.

REF: 11046

€€179,850 CalvadosPretty house and gardens in avillage close to Vire. Currentlyrun as a Bed and Breakfast, viewsover countryside and villagechurch.

Saint-LôA rare opportunity to take over athriving bar restaurant lock,stock and barrell with cat 4license, full alcoholic licence andperforming rights etc all in place.

REF: 11048

€€196,200

REF: IFPC20119

€€400,000 Mortagne-au-PercheUnique character property,Southern rural Normandy. Largesitting room and dining room, 5bedrooms, 3 bathrooms.Independent studio on 1st floor.Private lake, 3500m2.

REF: JL2230

€€426,000 Saint Clair de HalouzePeriod country house set on theedge of a forest. All in goodorder throughout. A large cellarto convert under the house withsmall windows.

Saint-Hilaire-du-HarcouëtBuilt 1700 - spacious farmhousewith barn, very good condition,central heating set in 1.4 hect.Peaceful and private. Lovelycountryside views. Beach25mins. Ferry/Airports 90mins.REF: DOM1244

€€225,950

REF: 135148

€€305,000Orne, PercheVery nice country house, withpossibility to run a B&B. Thehouse is situated in a beautifulrolling countryside, the fishingpond and the miniature golf situ-ated near the property.

REF: DOM892

€€495,000Caen Set in lovely countryside, part ofa small hamlet, this comfortablemanoir in a mature park of 3.5acres enjoys peace and tranquilli-ty. The grounds include a 2 bed-room guest annexe and garage.

OrneThis is a lovely old chateau whichhas in the last year been totallyrefurbished. 400m2 living spacewith 2 Reception rooms, Diningroom, Kitchen, 12 bedrooms7 bath/shower rooms.REF: DOM726

€€550,000

REF: 135116

€€620,000 OrneEquestrian facilities. Variousbuildings with 25 large stables,each with automatic drinkers,range of outbuildings for storageset in around 19 hectares of land.

REF: 135895

€€800,000 MancheXIXth century manor, totallyrenovated. Best quality finishes.Superb four season garden in aprivate and lush setting. Enclosedbehind high walls sits yourpeaceful haven.

CaenClassic 18th century Château setin mature parkland of 7 hectares. Quiet and secluded setting with-in 10 mins to nearest markettown. Good condition with newheat pump central heating. REF: DOM1075

€€1,050,000

REF: 135028

€€1,250,000 Orne, PercheBeautiful mill in a truly out-standing setting, with guest/care-taker accommodation, outbuild-ings, outdoor arena, lovely parkwith fishing ponds and river, anexceptional country home.

REF: DOM740

€€1,390,000 CalvadosChâteau- 19th Century com-pletely renovated to excellentstandard. Plus 2 important out-buildings, lake and river inmature parkland.

Page 24: NORMANDY - SEPTEMBER 2010

The Advertiser, Normandy September 201024 News

Milk protest planned over pricesDAIRY farmers in Normandy are plan-ning to throw away thousands of litresof milk on September 25 to protestagainst what they say are unfair prices.

Independent milk producers’ unionApli’s strike comes a year after a seriesof major protests in the region, wherefarmers stopped production for weekson end and spread their wasted milkon fields in the bay of the Mont SaintMichel and in town and village centres.

The latest strike follows a series ofheated negotiations between farmersand industrialists over milk prices. Thetwo sides have agreed on €330 per1,000 litres until the end of Septemberand €301 for the rest of the year; how-ever, farmers say this is not enough toearn a decent living.

André Lefranc, a dairy farmer in Vains inthe Mont Saint Michel bay and a localApli representative, said farmersearned less than the legal minimumwage, even though the job requireswork from dawn to dusk.

He and his wife have had to put theirsavings into keeping the business afloat,a 160-hectare farm breeding 170 dairycows. To achieve the yearly productionof 930,000 litres, the couple have hiredtwo permanent staff, but can hardlyafford to continue paying them.

Mr Lefranc told The Advertiser:“There was an agreement in June lastyear which was very low, and the cur-rent discussions look like a puppet theatre where the same performance isplayed every year.

“The industrialists have not followed

the agreement, which was pathetic any-way. They always lay down some condi-tions and this time will be no different.

Mr Lefranc added: “We are going toagree on a price, but in return they willask us to increase production by threeper cent, five per cent, 10 per cent oreven 15 per cent.

“That way, they can put their butterand powder machines back on full

speed and make more money. Andnext year, we start again: the marketwill be saturated, we cannot sell ourproducts, so we cut our prices.

“With all the risks taken, our return ispathetic. A profitable price in order tohave a decent salary would be €400 per1,000 litres of milk.”

Like many farmers in the region, MrLefranc is having to diversify to help

make up for the loss. He is now settingup a workshop producing caramelsweets, which he hopes will be opera-tional by the end of the year.

The milk sector is not the only area ofNormandy agriculture that is suffering.Basse-Normandie council is promisingfinancial help to farmers who have seentheir maize yields more than halve fol-lowing a hot, dry summer.

By Alice Cannet

Ready-salted lamb goes on sale under AOC bannerTHE FIRST batch of AOC-recognised ready-salted lambfrom the Mont Saint Michel bay has gone on sale.

The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée status recognisesthe unique flavour of the meat and protects the 14 farm-ers on the Normandy-Brittany border who produce andsell it, as it stops outsiders from cashing in on the brandand passing off lower-quality lamb as pré-salé.

The lambs are called ready-salted because of the saltygrass they eat on the marshes around the bay, where theyare free to roam. This contributes to their distinctivetaste.

The AOC status was awarded last summer after 18years of administrative battle by farmers. The first batchof meat is on sale until late-January at local butchers.

Photo: PHO

TOQ

PR/O

uest France

Woman sues overmental mix-upAN A&E patient in Rouenwho was transferred to a men-tal hospital by mistake hasbegun legal action, claimingshe was assaulted by ambu-lance workers. The 52-year-old was waiting for a lift whenshe was ordered into theambulance and driven away.Realising she was not beingtaken home, she attempted toescape, but was restrained.The hospital admitted it hadconfused her with anotherpatient and apologised for theadministrative error. Theambulance firm said it haddismissed the driver involved.

Caen stuns withfootball comebackCAEN has re-entered theFrench football premier leaguein style, thrashing championsMarseille 2-1 and last season’ssecond-placed Lyon 2-0. TheNormandy club is back inLigue 1 after slipping back tothe second division last year.

Consultation onfuture of Saint-LôSAINT-Lô residents are beingasked to draw up their vision ofhow to improve the town cen-tre and attract new people tothe area. An ideas box has beenset up in the town hall recep-tion. The consultation respons-es will help set the agenda fortwo public meetings onSeptember 16 and 20.