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What’s OnPlaces to go,things to do

Hello sailorBreaking recordsin a boatp6-7 p16

Bio-sphereWhere to findorganic food p8-9

Power unlimited

FULL STORY

PAGES 2-3

GianttidalturbineputsBrittanyahead in greenenergy

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Meet the lonely seal who prefers people to her own kind

SEEPAGE 5

2 News Brittany Pages October 2011

endorsed the project: “The environmentalimpact will be very limited, and when youthink of the threat of disruption to ourelectricity supply in Brittany, you can only besatisfied with this project.”

The advantage of tidal power, according toOpenHydro and EDF, is that it is invisible,with low environmental impact, and itdoes not disturb marine activities. “It is anextremely environmentally friendly mode ofproduction,” says Xavier Ursat, EDF’s deputydirector of hydropower. He points out that theturbines will be laid, not anchored, on the sea-bed to minimise environmental impact.

The prospect of a clean energy source bringshope of substantial economic benefits to theregion: “This project is very important for ourfuture and it will help to boost the region,” saysJean-Yves de Chaisemartin, mayor of Paimpol.“We are 100% in favour of the plan and webelieve it can only bring positive results.”

About 35% of funding for the project comesfrom public financing, including €7.2 millionfrom the region, which has committed to thescheme because the site will be open for othertests on marine energy.

Tidal turbine energy costs an estimated 12times more than nuclear power, according toEDF, and developing tidal power stations isvery expensive. However, EDF hopes to reducecosts to competitive levels in 10 to 20 years.

The pilot site at Paimpol-Bréhat is part of amuch larger plan to launch other turbines inthe English Channel, where currents and tidesare well suited to tidal power. “Step by step,our goal is to install a chain of marine energyin France,” says Cyril Abonnel, project managerat EDF Offshore. “Tidal and wind energy arebringing a new dimension to our plans.”

The entire economy of the region is at stake,with the possibility of 50,000 new jobs beingcreated in marine energy and up to 70% ofturbine components being manufactured inFrance. For now, as OpenHydro increase pro-duction of their turbines, they will hire 20 newpeople over 12-18 months.

Next on the list is Fromveur in Ouessant,where a €10 million programme to constructand immerse a turbine equipped with a10-metre-wide rotor will be built by the Bretoncompany Sabella.

In 2008 Sabella designed and tested an exper-imental tidal turbine in the Odet river estuaryin Finistère. The results of two test progammesand a year of trials were very positive, showingno impact on marine life.

A NEW power station at Paimpol-Bréhatwill place Brittany firmly at the centre of anew form of renewable energy generation.The plant will be the first offshore tidalinstallation in France and the first large-scale,grid-connected tidal energy plant in the world.

It is a joint project of French giant EDF andthe Irish company OpenHydro, and bothcompanies are committed to sustainabledevelopment and to making the plant’s impacton the marine ecosystem negligible.

A public inquiry among local communities,elected officials and environmental groupsshowed a broad consensus in favour of theinitiative. For once, it seems, the prospect of a

new energy project is welcomed by everyone.The plant will be installed on three hectares ofone of the largest shellfish reserves in Europe,and even the fishermen approve.

“Our openness to marine energy reflects theability of fishermen to move with the times,”says Yannick Hémery, president of the localfisheries committee. “The energy companywill fund a €1,325 million programme tostudy how the natural environment reactsto the project and to monitor the lobsterpopulation in the area. This will help us tounderstand and exploit the resource better.”

Thierry Dereux, of France NatureEnvironnement, explains why they, too, have

Brittany leadsworld withnew tidalenergy plant

Taking our

Jobs in tidalpower couldboost Bretoneconomy inthe nearfuture.ISABELLECARVALHOreports onan excitingproject

MANY businesses are springing up all overthe world to meet the growing demand forrenewable energy. One of the most successfulof these is the Dublin-based companyOpenHydro, which aims “to deploy arrays oftidal turbines under the world’s oceans,silently and invisibly generating electricity atno cost to the environment”.

OpenHydro already has an impressiveportfolio of projects in the USA, Canada,France, Scotland and the Channel Islands.

In 2006, the company undertook a seriesof trials at the Fall of Warness, off the islandof Eday in Scotland, where high-velocitycurrents can reach almost four metres persecond. After an 18-month testing period,a 250-kilowatt turbine was successfully

In Brest harbour, the huge turbine is lowered into

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News 3Brittany Pages October 2011

incorporated into the power supply, makingOpenHydro the first company to generateelectricity from tidal streams into the UKnational grid, and the first to demonstratesuccessfully a method of safely deployingturbines on the sea-bed.

Although tidal power is not yet widelyused and at present it suffers from relativelyhigh costs, OpenHydro believes it has greatpotential for future electricity generation.The company points out that solar and windpower are only practical and reliable in someplaces, and that tidal energy could be themost consistent form of renewable energyfor the future.

Tidal streams are created by the constantlychanging gravitational pull of the moon and

the sun on the world’s oceans and, unlike thewind and the sun, tides are constant. Watermoves first one way, then the other the worldover, with geographic features, such as head-lands or channels, serving to accelerate thismovement. Since the relative positions of thesun and the moon can be predicted withcomplete accuracy, OpenHydro says theresultant tide can also be anticipated.

This is why it believes tidal energy is such avaluable resource. Recent technologicaldevelopments have shown show that thetotal availability of tidal power may be muchhigher than previously assumed. The vastenergy of the ocean may have the potentialto meet a great deal of future demand forelectricity.

THE FIRST step in creatingthe world’s largest tidalpower station was takenin August, when a massiveturbine was towed fromBrest harbour to begin aseries of tests at sea. Theproject will break a newrecord for France, long atthe forefront of tidal energy.

By autumn next year threeadditional turbines will bedeployed off the coast ofPaimpol-Bréhat as part ofthe joint project of EDF andthe Irish tidal technologycompany OpenHydro. The€40 million project hassupport from the Brittanyregion, the French govern-ment and Europe.

The new power station willbe fitted out next year, andit is expected to generatemore than 10 megawatts ofclean, renewable energy to4,000 homes.

The turbine is the size of afive-storey building – 16mhigh, 21m wide and weigh-ing 1,000 tons – and it lookslike the rotor of a giant air-craft engine.

It was fused to an under-water base at the DCNSshipyard in Brest ready to betaken on a special installervessel to the pilot site offBréhat, near Paimpol, whereit will be deployed at adepth of 35 metres.

EDF has had some ballast-ing problems, with twoadditional tons needed forcomplete immersion. Thissort of problem is, they say,

inherent in any innovativeproject and they do notexpect it to hinder theirplans.

Once immersed, the tur-bine will be tested for twomonths: “We will measurehow the turbine’s rotationspeed is affected by the cur-rent,” says Xavier Ursat,deputy director in charge ofhydropower at EDF. “Then

we will correct any details,if necessary, before makingthe next three turbines.”Once the tests have beencompleted, full installationwill take place in 2012.

The world’s first tidalpower station was built inBrittany over the Ranceriver between 1960 and1966, and it is still a veryreliable source of electricity.

power from the sea

position on its special transporter (below) to be taken out to sea for testing

A record forFrance in tidetechnology

Old reliable: repairwork at the first tidalstation on the Rance

river, still in use

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A GROUP of seven villagesin Côtes d’Armor have decid-ed to move to a plan using100% local renewable energyby 2030. The area covers 165km² in Mené, with 6,500inhabitants who are mainlyfarmers or workers at anindustrial abattoir.

The idea of developing anindustry based on renewableenergy began in 2000 becauseof concerns about economicdevelopment and worriesabout the impact of farmingon the environment.

“We realised early on that ifwe wanted to continue livingin this rural area, we had totake charge ourselves,” saysJacky Aignel, mayor of Saint-Gouéno and energy vice pres-ident of the Mené communes.“More than 20% of the com-munity’s energy consumptionshould be produced byrenewable energy by 2013,”he says.”

A rape seed oil fuel plant,Ménergol, began the projectin 2007 in Saint-Gouéno. Theoil can be used as animal feed

or to power diesel tractorengines. In two other munici-palities, 4,500 m² of buildingsare heated by boilers usinglocal wood, replacing morethan 300 tonnes of oil.

Wood from a willow planta-tion, irrigated by water fromGéotexia, the new biogasplant, will soon be added tothe wood from local forests.Géotexia was started by 32 pigfarmers who have pledgednot to increase their livestock.

Anaerobic digestion reduceswaste and gives an alternativeenergy source, producing13,800 megawatts of electrici-ty per year from 75,000tonnes of slurry.

“From an environmentalproblem we can create aneconomy based on sustain-able energy,” says LaurentGaudicheau, director of thecommunes.

Mené has also opened abusiness “nursery” dedicatedto renewable energy, and theyare working on 35 newhomes with no energy costsfor their residents.

Eco villagesput waste togood use

4 News Brittany Pages October 2011

Senate toldwho wearsthe trousers

Brittany intop fiveBRITTANY is the fifth mostdynamic French region,according to a survey by theJournal des Entreprises. In2010, the region had thelowest unemployment rateand between 2004 and 2009 itwas fifth of the regions wherepopulation had grown most.

Salaried jobs increased by2.2% between 2005 and 2010,placing Brittany again in fifthplace. The only weaknessesshown in the survey are inthe region’s exports and inattracting foreign investment.

A PATIENT diagnosed with breast cancer inPontivy in 2010 has benefited from a revolu-tionary new technique in reconstructivesurgery. Instead of the more usual operationthat takes muscle from a patient’s back, sur-geons at the Centre Hospitalier BretagneAtlantique (CHBA) in Vannes used tissue from

the remaining breast for reconstruction,retaining mammary glands and sensitivity.

The technique is only possible when theremaining breast is large enough. It waspioneered in Lille and has also been practisedin Lyon, and now in Vannes – but it is not yetdescribed in French medical literature.

New operation for breast cancer patient

A 1799 law forbiddingwomen from wearingtrousers is finally being chal-lenged. Maryvonne Blondin,senator for Finistère, recentlypresented a bill to the Senateto repeal the law:“This ruling, which ofcourse is no longerapplied, is still inFrench law,” she saidin a recent statement.

“Any woman whowants to dress as aman must go to thepréfecture for permis-sion”, the law states. Itwas amended in 1892and 1909, to allow awoman to weartrousers – but only “ifthe woman holds bythe hand a bicyclehandlebar or the reinsof a horse.”

Maryvonne Blondin saysthose provisions must bedeleted, adding that “freedomfor women to dress as theyplease is still a battle.”

Women in the NationalAssembly and the Senate

have only been allowed towear trousers since 1980. In1972, Michèle Alliot-Marie,then adviser to the ministerEdgar Faure, won admirerswhen she was prevented from

entering the hemicyclebecause she was wearingtrousers.

Undaunted, the future min-ister replied: “If my trousersbother you, I can take themoff very quickly.”

Senator Maryvonne Blondin

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Villes d’ArtrecognitionGUINGAMP has just beenawarded historic city ofBrittany status by the Uniondes Villes d’Art, an awardgiven to cities of exceptionalhistoric and artistic interestsince 1997.

Guingamp has a lot toshow: the Place du Centre, theprison, Pierre II’s Castle and226 buildings that could bedescribed as remarkable.

“We have worked hard forthree years,” says Annie LeHouérou, mayor of the town.

The determination ofGuingamp’s elected officialsto take account of the town’sheritage in its developmenthas not gone unnoticed.

Start cuttingenergy billsTRAK O’WATTS is an inno-vative plan to be launchedduring the Fête de l'énergie,which is to be held fromOctober 15 to 21. Register atwww.bretagne-energie.fr for afree assessment of your ener-gy consumption, informationon how to cut your electricitybill, and personalised adviceand support for six months.As well as getting invidualresponses, you will be able tocompare your experienceswith those of other familiestaking part in the project.

New resortfor PaimpolTHE WINNING design fortourist accommodation inPaimpol was revealed inAugust by the town’s mayor,Jean-Yves de Chaisemartin.The old Courcy and Huit-

Patriotes schools will bedemolished to make way for3,410 m² of new touristaccommodation with about400 beds. There will be anindoor and outdoor swim-ming pool, a “wellness” areaand 80 parking places, but norestaurant.“Tourists will go shopping in

town and eat in Paimpol, orthey will eat elsewhere,” saidDidier Calmels from thetown planning department.

Brittany puts its mark on colaBREIZH Cola has been on the market forless than 10 years, with millions of bottlessold at festivals, supermarkets and cafés.

Launched in 2002, it was immediatelysuccessful, but what exactly is Breizh, orBreton, about this cola?

“Of course kola nuts don’t grow inBrittany,” says Stéphane Kerdodé, one of thefounders of the company that sells BreizhCola, Phare Ouest – a Breton take on FarWest.

“The taste of Breizh Cola comes from acollection of nuts from South Africa,Ethiopia and the Ivory Coast. These natural

flavours are mixed with water fromPlonéour-Lanvern and beet sugar. Acidifiers,caramel, CO² and a little caffeine to dissolvethe aromas and complete the recipe,” sheexplains.

The drink has become the first regionalcola. “We mainly sell in Brittany, where werepresent 10-15% of sales of colas. We alsohave a significant demand from the Bretondiaspora.

“We even advised the Corsicans on theirCorsica Cola,” says Stéphane.

Breizh Cola is now a candidate for theaccolade of Breton heritage.

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News 5Brittany Pages October 2011

AN ABANDONED femaleseal has been living for thepast 10 years in the Ranceestuary, basking in the sunwith the bathers at the Calede Mordreuc.

Rescued at birth byOcéanopolis, the Brestmarine centre, the creaturewas identified as “L9”.

“The umbilical cord wasstill attached when we foundher near Granville in 2000,”says Christine Dumas, headof marine mammal keepersat Océanopolis. “She wasless than a week old and hadbeen abandoned by hermother.”

In December 2000, afterfive months of being lookedafter by Océanopolis, L9 wasweaned and released in theBaie du Mont Saint-Michel.“But she didn’t join thecolony of seals in the bay,”says Miss Dumas. “Sheswam west to the Ranceestuary, between Saint-Maloand Dinard, and got cut offon the other side of the lockat the Rance tidal powerplant.”

Her habit of resting on a

jetty in La Moinerie, a ham-let of Plouër-sur-Rance,soon made her famous, butL9’s many visitors worriedthe biologists, and theyintervened again in 2001.“We were afraid that peoplewould feed her and wewanted to give her a chanceto return to her seal colony,”says Christine Dumas.

She was taken to the Baiedu Mont Saint-Michel, but a

week later she was back onher dock in Plouër.

Ten years later, L9 is stillthere, playing with swim-mers and following boats.She is mentioned on thetown’s tourism website asone of its main attractionsand she seems happy withher fame and her humanfriends. In the last 10 years,about 30 million peoplehave come to see her.

Famous seal and hermany human friends

Did you know?

“L9”, the lonely seal who prefers people to her own kind

SHARING wi-fi internet con-nection has many advantages,with some providers givingfree access through othersubscribers’ boxes, if theyagree to share their network.

Unlike a home network,public wi-fi has a much widerrange, but the multiplicationof hotspots means unwantedwaves may come into homes,and not all internet boxes canstop the network.

“There is no control. Wedon’t even know what thepercentage of shared connec-tions is,” says Anthony Davy,of Vigilance 29.

And, said Senator MarcFrancis of the Finistère coun-cil, “We have no way of act-ing against spreading wi-fi.”He added: “We will probably

have to to limit operators’power. If we can establish aproblem in terms of health,shared wi-fi will be subject tostricter regulation.”

As a possible alternative,researchers at BostonUniversity have devised awireless communicationnetwork using light insteadof radio waves, with datatransmitted through highfrequency LEDs.

To install this system, lightbulbs are replaced with LEDs,and a single transmitter canbe used by several customers,with no electromagneticpollution and low energy. Butthere are disadvantages: thereceiver must be visible fromthe transmitter and the lightmust be left on.

Worries overwaves fromwi-fi hotspots

Bridge shutby tram work

Haploops move northwardsIFREMER, the research institute for exploration of the sea, hasstarted a campaign to learn more about the impact of haploopson the environment. These small shellfish are usually found inthe Mediterranean, but recently they have moved to southernBrittany where colonies of 400 billion haploops have settled inthe bays of Concarneau and Vilaine. As seen above, they buildtheir own habitats of five-centimetre tubes on the ocean floor.

Brennilisplant to goEDF has obtained permissionfor the partial dismantling ofthe nuclear power plant inBrennilis, which ceased oper-ations in 1985. All buildings,except the reactor, will bedecontaminated and disas-sembled. The operations areexpected to be completedwithin five years.

Schoolbooks bonusEVERY year 120,000 lycéestudents in seconde, premièreand terminale receive sixbook vouchers worth €10.The students can use them tobuy or rent textbooks, factsheets, dictionaries andvocabulary books, at a net-work of regional partners,including bookshops, schoolsand book fair associations.The vouchers are to be usedbefore December 17. A list ofapproved suppliers can befound on the Brittany web-site, www.bretagne.fr

WORK on a new tramline, expected to open inJune 2012, has closed theRecouvrance bridge,Brest, until October 22.During the closure, freeshuttle buses and a taxiservice have been set upusing the Harteloirebridge, connecting theRecouvrance district tothe Place de la Libertéand the Français-Libres.

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What’s On 7Brittany Pages October 2011

Côtes d’Armor Lanvellec

October 9 Saveurs d'automne àl’Abbaye de Beauport – A day to enjoyautumn delights at Beauport Abbey.There will be demonstration of cidermaking, an exhibition about theorchard at Beauport and its ancientvarieties of apples, sales of local produce: cider, apple juice, honey, goat’scheese.You can also go on guidedtours accompanied by music, and thereare drawing workshops for all ages.Adult €3.5, child €1.5Call 02 96 55 18 58www.abbaye-beauport.com

FOOD

MUSICOctober 7-23 Festival de Lanvellec et du Trégor – Each year, the Festival of Early Music fea-tures an outstanding programme of concerts, recitals, dance performances and operas withperiod instruments.The Peoples of the Baroque festival will be in full swing over three weekends and will welcome internationally renowned artists and ensembles, includingSuonare e Cantare, La Fenice led by Jean Tubery,Arianna Savall,A Corte Musical, Les Paladinsde Jérôme Correas, Léon Berben, Paul O’Dette, Jordi Savall, the Pygmalion ensemble andmore. Single tickets €5-€20, passes €50-€140Call 02 96 35 13 72 or 02 96 35 14 14www.festival-lanvellec.fr

October 16 A la découverte des champignons – Learnto recognise which mushrooms bring flavour to ourfood and, perhaps more importantly, which are dangerous to eat. Have a good time with your family ona walk along the marshes, whether you are a mushroomnovice or an expert.Call 02 99 90 67 98 or 06 83 52 03 73

Morbihan

October 20-23 Sail N’ Gliss –Over four days, variousmanufacturers will show thelatest model of catamarans,windsurfing boards, dinghies,kite-surfing boards, kayaks,paddle boards, wake boards etc.Even better, you will have achance to test them on thewater every day.Demonstrations by champions,conferences, roundtables andtrips are also offered throughout the show. FREECall 02 97 52 13 52

SPORTCarnac

DANCEOctober 30 Grand Ballet deCuba – This international spectaclehas become a genuine expressionof Cuban culture over the past 50years. Full of light, strength,dynamism and spontaneity, allexpressed through tango, salsa andthe heat of Cuba.Adult €34-€40, €5 for childrenunder 12.Call 02 98 47 88 00www.brest.fr

FinistèreBrest

Finistère CULTURECarhaixOctober 29-30 Festival du Livre en Bretagne – New titles from 100 Breton publishers, withabout 250 authors on hand to sign their books at this renowned book festival.This year thefestival celebrates the northern Basque country, and it will also feature discussions, debatesand fun for all. FREE entry.www.festivaldulivre-carhaix.org

Ille-et-VilaineDinard FILMOctober 5-9 Festival du FilmBritannique – This year, six featurefilms are selected for the officialcompetition of the British FilmFestival, where awards are givenboth by the audience and a jury offilm industry professionals.

Aside from the competition,this year there will be a specialfocus on Scottish cinema, withfive unreleased feature films, aselection of recent short films,and a conference with a Scottishdelegation of film professionals.You can also enjoy about 20 previews and 20 short films thatare not in the competition.€5.50 per film. All films in Englishwith subtitles.Call 02 99 88 19 04www.festivaldufilm-dinard.com

October 6-15 Le Grand Soufflet – This festival travels across Ille-et-Vilaine to offera varied programme based on the accordion. Meet a new generation of artistswhose mission is to revive the genre andthe heyday of the cabaret.There will be lotsof music (world, jazz, rock, electronic,tango) but also burlesque performances,theatre, a puppet show and a competitionfor young accordionists. FREE and payingevents. For more information:Call 02 99 41 33 71www.legrandsoufflet.fr

Ille-et-VilaineVarious Cities MUSIC

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Morbihan Saint-DolayOUT AND

ABOUT

MorbihanPays de l’Oust à Brocéliande

OUT AND ABOUT

October 22-31 La Semaine du Dragon –Throughout the Halloween (All Saints) holiday, Dragon Week is a festival dedicatedto mythical and fantastical stories.This year itfollows the mad rush of its guest of honour,the fairy Mélusine. Street shows where fantasy and eccentricity mix. Don't miss themusic-making steam engine, walks andevening storytelling to the sound of the harp,Celtic New Year fest-noz, cooking with wildplants, a dragon hunt and much more. BothFREE and paying events.Call 02 97 72 05 14www.oust-broceliande-vacances.com

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October 27 Journée d’un écolier en 1930, Musée del’école de Bothoa – Put yourselfin the shoes of schoolchildrenin the 1930s.Take a lesson inmorals, check your spellingtaking dictation and writingwith an old fountain pen, eatbread soup at the village café,visit the exhibition and seethe teacher's house, thenlearn how to make toys outof pieces of wood.

Open to all from 7 to 77.Advance registration required.Adults €11, children €8-€11.Call 02 96 29 73 95www.musee-ecole-both-oa.com

Côtes d’ArmorSaint-Nicolas-du-Pélem

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October 15-16 Marathon de Vannes – An opportunity for 2,200 marathon runners totravel the mythical 42,195 km race from the ramparts of Vannes to the Stade Kercado.They will go through coastal paths, the port of Vannes, the Isle of Conleau and the historiccity. It is also possible to run shorter races of 10, 19 or 23 km, or to go on a culturalwalk.Advance registration required.Call 02 97 62 01 01www.marathon-vannes.com

Vannes SPORTMorbihan

Côtes d’ArmorPaimpol

October

8 Organic Brittany Pages

FRANCE is leading Europe in the productionof organic food, as more and more farmersdiversify into ‘bio’ growing methods.

Recent government measures to increase thissector aim for 20% organic food in state catering by 2012, and although it is unclearwhether this target will be reached, the trendis definitely on the increase.

Unsurprisingly, there are big regional differences in the percentage of organic producers. Top is Languedoc-Roussillon, with35% two years ago, followed by Île de Francewith 33% and PACA hot on their heels at 30%.

Outside France, only the USA and Australiahave this sort of growth. The scene in the UKis rather different, with emphasis currentlybeing placed on locally-produced food, ratherthan organic. Indeed, according to the SoilAssociation, the number of organic food producers in the UK fell last year by 4.2%, andsales were down by 5.9%.

I caught up with two expats inLanguedoc-Roussillon who havemade the move to organic. Both saidthat although they have to workextremely hard, it is worth it andmeans they really feel fulfilled bywhat they are doing.

Catherine Wallace spent 15 years inthe wine trade in the UK, knows itinside-out and has plenty of contacts there. For two years she andher partner searched Languedoc-Roussillon for a working vineyardwith potential for development.The right location in terms of terrain and climate isvery impor-tant.

Six years agothey boughtChâteau de

Combebelle, in the StChinian AOC, from a fel-low Brit.

“It was a very steeplearning curve,”Catherine told me. “Thebest way to learn is to bevery hands-on.”

Although the vine-yard already producedthe traditional redwines of the region,Catherine had avision: to expand therange of wineproduced. Her firstrosé was produced in2007 and she hasplans to plant somewhite varieties soon.

This is an expensivebusiness; to plant a

hectare of new vinescosts €30,000, even with

subsidies. “You need to know what you

are aiming for and be realisticabout how much it will cost,” she

advised.Why organic? “We both have total

respect for the environment. We are not onlyorganic, but bio-dynamic and I couldn’t do itany other way. It sums up our whole philoso-phy.”

Sales are going well, and Château deCombebelle’s wine is represented in severalUK outlets, including the Co-op. Promotion isvia wine fairs, but also very much through personal contact, gained through Catherine’sprevious experience.

Sarah and Jim Pearce own and run pick-your-own farm Top Fruits (www.top-fruits.com), an unusual enterprise in France.Running alongside is a pig farm and the original vineyard.

Although they are not totally organic, thePearces are extremely environmentally aware.They bought the property, a fruit farm withsome vines, in 2005. They used an English-

speaking agent in the region,which they knew to beright for their needs.Jim had been a farm manager in the UK forsome years and

already had a great deal of relevant expertise.It was this experience that helped them avertdisaster when, after their first year in theproperty, the jam factory to which they senttheir peaches went under.

They had relied on this income to supportthe development of their vineyard, so theyswitched to PYO and have expanded that partof the business over the years.

They brought in pigs to use up the windfallpeaches, and the rest of the farm, including sixbeehives, developed from there. Sarah pointsout that bees need an environment free fromchemicals, so this in itself is a good reason toadopt organic methods.

Sarah explained that one of the main obstacles to becoming completely organic isthe weeds.

“The public don’t like wandering aroundfields and orchards full of weeds, so they simply have to be kept down – the weeds thatis! However, we have to be very careful indeedabout treating the fruit, after all we have customers picking every day.”

The 33-hectare property between Béziersand Narbonne grows a huge variety of produce, from stoned and soft fruits to tablegrapes and vegetables.

They also sell their pork as half-carcasses forthe freezer, and of course there is the wine,which is, however, not organic.

Sarah told me that 95% of the farm’s customers are French, adding that French people haven’t lost the skills of preserving.

“They pick by the bucketful, and as for thepork, they don’t waste a scrap. They are, infact, perfect customers.”

Visiting Brits apparently prefer to pick uppunnets of soft fruit and neat joints of pork,whereas Turkish customers go for the tablegrapes in a big way.

While food producers across thecountry are feeling the effects ofthe stormy economic climate,organic growers are bucking thetrend. In 2008, Agence Bio, theFrench organic agency, sawmore than 300 producers signup to the state organic schemeeach month, and organic foodproducts represented 1.7% of total foodproduction. By 2010, the number of organic producers hadrisen by a further 23%. While this isstill only a small proportion, it is risingyear on year. JOAN BUNTING reports

Organic wine producer Catherine Wallacewouldn’t want to farm any other way

Photo: © Joan B

unting

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Going Bi inFrance

October 2011 Organic 9

I also spoke to two young French producers,Julien Laurens and Stephan, known as theCheese Man, who are taking the cautiousroute to organic production.

Julien is a neighbour. A horticulturist bytraining, he inherited land and wanted to dosomething a bit different. Passionate about theorganic movement, he hit upon the idea ofgrowing saffron and last year harvested a trialcrop. But instead of selling it, he took samplesto some of the best chefs in the region andasked for their honest opinions.

They were extremely enthusiastic about itshigh quality and said they would buy as muchas he could produce. He has now extended hisplanting and is looking to add organic herbsnext year.

Julien says he was looking for a niche, something regional but with few producers.The hard work for him comes after harvestingwhen, to get a kilo of saffron, the stamens of150,000 flowers have to be removed – time torecruit the family!

Stephan produces organic goat’s cheeses highon the plateau and sells quite simply door-to-door, visiting the local, often remote hameauxonce a week, with a refrigerated container inthe back of his vehicle. His cheese is so goodand well priced, at €1.20 per cheese, that injust a few months he has developed a largecustomer base.

His other outlet would be farmers’ markets,but he says the cost of getting to them wouldeat into his profits and keep him away fromhis goats. While he is never going to make afortune, he clearly loves his life: a goodenough reason for any enterprise.

www.agencebio.org

www.soilassociation.org

www.bio-dynamie.org

Useful Websites

Goat’s cheese, pick-you-own produce andpig farming are just some examples of

the rising organic market in France

Where to findorganic produce in Brittany

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APPLES may be the best known fruit in Brittany, but if youwant local produce, there is lots more on offer. There areartichokes and cauliflowers from the Pays de Léon, potatoesfrom the island of Batz, onions from Roscoff, chestnutsfrom Redon and strawberries from Plougastel.

Pork is the basic Breton meat, and butchers have devel-oped various regional specialities, such as the andouille deGuéméné, the Breton pork sausage. Brittany is alsorenowned for fish and seafood, with oysters from Cancale,Bélon, Mont Saint-Michel Bay and the Vilaine estuary.

Organic farming is booming in Brittany. In January 2010,there were 1,288 organic farms, an increase of 23% on theprevious year. Of these, 30% are dairy farms which havestarted conversion and 20% are vegetable growers. TheAssociation for keeping peasant agriculture (AMAP)promotes the development of organic farming and linksfarmers to consumers who agree to buy at a fair price. TheAMAP website publishes a list of local branches, visitwww.reseau-amap.org.

The Regional Federation of Organic Farmers of Brittany(FRAB) represents organic farmers with public authorities.The website www.agrobio-bretagne.org lists “open farms”and eco-living fairs, as well as departmental branches:

Côtes d’Armor: 02 96 74 75 65Finistère: 02 98 25 80 33Morbihan: 02 97 66 32 62Ille et Vilaine: 02 99 77 09 46

Bretagne Durable (www.bretagne-durable.info) is a maga-zine for ecologically minded Bretons, with wide-rangingadvice on health, food, self-build and biodiversity.

Maison de la Bio 29 (www.bio29.fr) gives information aboutorganic resources in Finistère

Le guide du potager bio en Bretagne (Guide to the OrganicVegetable Garden in Brittany), by Arouel Cabrera andMarianne Wroblewski, describes how to have a successfulvegetable garden in Brittany and is based on many years’experience. It is available for €18 in bookshops, organicfood stores, garden centres and online at www.terre-vivante.org.

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10 Food Brittany Pages October 2011

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ONE OF my prized possessions is a breadboard given to my mother for Christmas 1940.It still has the faint inscription: “Waste Not”.

In May 2011 a report to the United Nationsfood and agriculture organisation stated thatthe world’s richest countries waste nearly asmuch food as the entire net food productionof Sub-Saharan Africa.

Globally, one third of food produced forhuman consumption is wasted.

These are shocking facts in times of famine,rising food prices and falling incomes. Let mejust say that in developing countries, food losscaused through production, harvest and processing is the major problem. In developedcountries the big problem is waste. Retailersand consumers throw away perfectly ediblefood in terrifying amounts.

France Nature Environmental reported in2010 that every citizen throws away 20kg offood, 7kg still in its packaging. In the UK eachyear £420 (€475) of food per household iswasted unnecessarily. In North America thefigure is $620 (€430).

I waste food; don’t we all? I am trying hardto reduce it, and believe that living in Francemakes this easier. For example, fruit and vegetables, the most wasted items in the UK,are much easier to buy loose here.

I suspect that people in France struggle withtwo areas of potential waste: bread and cheese.Depending on the size of your household, andyour capacity for both, I think many readerswould agree. That half baguette hangingaround or the leftover pieces of cheese, lurkingin the back of the fridge? Why not put them togood use.

Suggestions for bread:Cut it into slices, put into a plastic bag, add

a little oil and shake, then spread on a bakingtray and bake when cooking something else.Then cool and store in a tin for canapés, or tofloat on soup with cheese.

Bake without oil, then crush and store in anairtight container for crumb coating.

If fairly fresh, crumb in the blender/proces-sor and then bag and freeze, making dishes asbelow.

For cheese:Grate and bag in the freezer for all sorts of

dishes.Soft cheeses can be turned into quiches and

tarts, especially good with red onions.A Provençal recipe blends soft goat and blue

cheese with a little marc or brandy for thecheese board, or as an apéritif with toasts.

For many other suggestions go to www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Here is one of our family recipes that usesboth bread and cheese.

Eat it, don’t bin it

After she was chosen asfirst BBC Masterchef in1990 JOAN BUNTING wassoon writing a foodcolumn and doing BBClocal radio. Now the former advisory teacherhas retired and movedpermanently to her homein France, but is still keento tell readers aboutgood food.

Caline Montfort, of Julien de Savignac wine merchants (www.julien-de-savignac.com), says:Caravansérail 2007 of Domaine Chemins d’Orient. €9.80. Pecharmant. Red wine withcharacter. It is soft, fruity with a spicy note, thanks to the excellent soils of Pecharmant,allowing Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec to express themselves fully. This wine will stand up to the mustard and cheese, but still marrygently with the bread, milk and butter as it remains very soft in tanins.

Which wine should I drink with this?

Fluffy Cheese Pudding - serves 4

SUPPER: Don’t waste leftover cheese and bread – turn it into a delicious family meal

Heat the milk with the butter, then addthe onion and crumbs and leave to soak forat least half an hour or overnight.

Beat the mustard, salt and pepper intothe egg yolks and add these and thecheese to the crumb mixture.

Whisk the egg whites until firm, fold in.

Pour into a litre buttered dish and cook at200°C (400°F) for 40 minutes, lowering theheat if the top begins to brown too much.When the pudding is firm to the touchserve at once with a green salad and bakedtomato halves.

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INGREDIENTS500 ml milk50 g butter

100g fresh/frozen breadcrumbs 1tbsp grated or finely chopped onion 1tsp mustard Salt and pepper 2 eggs, separated 150g grated cheese

METHOD

Tried and tested by usA Brittany Pages team member has put this recipe to thetest, hoping to pass on some handy hints when you trythe recipe at home: “Georges my eight-year-old sonhelped me make this easy tea-time treat. The onlydrawback was the infusion time needed for thebread and milk mix (one night). A good tip to cutdown on washing up is to put the bread slices inthe milk with the onion then put in the microwavefor one minute. It is then easy to mash. Whiskingthe egg white did give the dish a nice soufflé texture.If I made it again I would add some lardons for extraflavour. We served with a rocket and tomato salad.”

Business 11Brittany Pages October 2011

FINANCE

THE responsibility of where your employer pays NationalInsurance contributions for your employment rests withHMRC in the UK and the French authorities. They willdecide where you “belong” for social security purposes, andalthough there are guidance notes on the HMRC website,this is a complex area. Your HR department would be welladvised to seek advice from their UK accountant in the firstinstance, or a firm with international expertise.

If you were to to set up a French bureau de représentation,which functions like a French payroll for your employer topay French social security on your behalf, certain condi-tions apply, such as:

1. Whether the transfer of your role is temporary.2. Whether you can be classified as living in France, or

you are still “ordinarily resident” in the United Kingdom.There are forms to be filled in and each case is decided on

the facts, so HMRC will not give your employer specificadvice without having first seen the relevant information inwriting. The UK and French authorities will then decidebetween them where the social charges should be paid.

You are right in thinking it could cost you more if it isdecided that your social cover should be paid for directly inFrance. By going to work overseas, your UK employer paysyou gross on the UK payroll. It then becomes your respon-sibility to set up a French payroll and apply for your affilia-tion under the French social security system.

The social charges in France are indeed higher: employeecotisations are approximately 20% and “employers’ charges”are 46%. You will, however, pay a lot less income taxbecause of generous personal allowances. If you are finan-cially worse off, you could negotiate with your employer foran equalisation package to ensure that you have the samenet pay. Presumably you will save them travel costs bybeing based in France, and can spend more time working,rather than travelling to and from the UK.

When you are in the French system and you have aFrench payslip, you can go to the Caisse PrimaireAssurance Maladie (CPAM) and apply for your carte vitalefor French health cover. I am assuming that you are work-ing full time, so you should not have any difficulty in meet-ing the conditions required. Your French social charges willalso count towards a French retirement pension, but youmay also choose to continue to pay additional voluntarycontributions to the UK to make sure that you qualify forthe full amount of UK state pension.

We suggest you ask your employer to contact HMRC tostart the decision process, and that you visit your localCPAM office to enquire about your social cover.

Can a UK firm pay myFrench social charges?

I WORK for a British transport company and I spend75% of my time working in north-wwest France. Myfamily home is in Redon, where I live with my wife andchildren. My company does not have a French sub-sidiary and it is looking into paying my French socialsecurity contributions. Is this possible and if so, will I besignificantly worse off as French contributions are muchhigher than National Insurance in the UK? I also under-stand that the French tax threshold is higher. Could youhelp explain my best course of action?

Photo: © Patrick J. - Fotolia.com

JIM ADCOCK moved to France in 2007 after many years’ experience in corporate and small businesses, including practicalfreelance support for SMEs. He runs Stairs2measure.com,providing made-to-measure wooden staircases, and is a founder member of The Brittany Business Network. He will be writingregularly for the Brittany Pages on local business issues andwelcomes your feedback, comments and input

To contact Jim Adcock directly, email brittany@outsourced-org.com

AN IMPORTANT first step in setting upa new business is to make sure you haveaccess to all the help you need, so thatyou are well prepared.

If you are registered as seeking employ-ment or in receipt of RSA (Revenu desolidarité active) income support, youmay be eligible for the NACRE businessstartup scheme. This will provide help inplanning and launching your business,and access to an interest-free loan. If youneed help with your French, there mayalso be a language course. Details of therelevant website and links to contactpoints in Brittany are included below. Ifyou are registered with Pôle Emploi theyshould direct you to the most appropri-ate one for you.

If you do not fit the criteria for theNACRE scheme, then the obvious routeto finance is through your bank, butexpect a general risk aversion to new,untried business ventures. Be sure tohave a viable business plan that showsyou have done good market research,and that you will be capable of repayingany loan.

Business angels may be a furthersource of funding if your proposal is aserious venture, but this is not usually anoption for “lifestyle” businesses. Angelsexist in France but not to the sameextent as they do in the United Kingdom

or America. There are 10% fewer busi-ness angels in France than in the UK, sothis is not an easy route to take for mostof us. These people are high net worthindividuals, experienced in business andinvestment. Your proposition shouldbe financially attractive and offer thepotential for good returns for you andyour angel.

The starting point is a short executivesummary stating your skills and experi-ence, what funding you require, thenature of your business and its USP. Yourshort pitch will need to be backed up bya comprehensive business plan. Thisshould include market research andcompetitor analysis, full costed details ofthe product or service, including sourc-ing and distribution, physical elementsrequired, such as premises, IT require-ment, staffing needs, and at least threeyears’ financial plans.

One potential starting point is RéseauFinancier Français, which can beaccessed online. This offers various waysof publicising your venture, including afree service or options costing from€149-€249. Fees may be refundable ifno responses are received.

Alternatively, you can approach a localbusiness angel network and deal withthem direct. You will find these networks

in each of the four departments ofBrittany, and they are all part of theEuropean Trade Association for BusinessAngels (EBAN), an organisation repre-senting more than 250 networks acrossEurope. This gives access to a broaderrange of investors and funds, which maybe of interest if you are in an industrysuch as high tech, for example.

Soon we hope we will have informationon responses relating to grants and othersupport for businesses. In the meantime,please do not forget to let me know ifthere are topics you would like featuredin future.

The Brittany Business Network www.synergienet.com

Agence pour la Création d’Entreprises www.emploi.gouv.fr/nacre

NACRE www.reseaufinancierfrancais.com

Reseau Financier Français www.franceangels.org

France Angels www.boutiques-de-gestion.com

To find Siret numbers www.infogreffe.fr www.manageo.fr www.societe.com

Useful Websites

Finding funding for venturessmall and not so smallStarting a business is dauntingand full of challenges, but youare not alone. This month welook at possible funding sourcesfor that idea of yours and how togive yourself the best chance ofsuccess here in Brittany

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Creative thinking is necessary when it comes to making your dream a reality

Looking to buy a

house?See page 15 for a

range of properties

12 Directory Brittany Pages October 2011

Find registered tradespeople quickly and easily

English-speaking firms near youFor your security, we check that the French businesses in this section are officially registered with the authorities

BRITTANYPAGES

ANIMALS

BUILDERS & RENOVATION

BUSINESS & WEBSITES

COMPUTERS, TV & INTERNET

ESTATE AGENTS

GARDENS & POOLS

MOTORING

PLUMBERS

PROPERTY SERVICES

RETAIL

Villager, Hunter, Aarrow& Stratford Stoves

Esse Cooking RangesQuality Stoves Delivered throughout Francewww.woodburningstovesandcookers.com

Tel: 02 97 74 73 48Based in Josselin 56

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

sales@ashgrovestoves.com

BRETON COUNTRYCOTTAGES

Property Management andHoliday Letting ServicesWe will take care of your

second home or holiday propertyleaving you free to enjoy it.

Tel: 0297398742www.bretoncountrycottages.comwilkinson.bcc@wanadoo.fr

The Holiday ExchangeHome Exchange without the need to find a direct

exchange partner.

Email: info@theholidayexchange.comTel: 02 97 93 91 56

Web: www.theholidayexchange.comSiret: 53015743700019

All Plumbing and Heatingrequirements

Oil Boiler Breakdowns & Servicing - Chimney Sweeping. Prompt /reliable service

TTeell:: ++3333 ((00)) 22 9966 2244 7788 1111 oorr MMoobbiillee ++3333 ((00)) 66 4422 7722 3399 0000EEmmaaiill:: vviinnccee@@vvbbpplloommbbiieerr..ffrr - WWeebb:: wwwwww..vvbbpplloommbbiieerr..ffrr

Contact: Vince or Mandy Boon

Ian TorodeServicing and repairs for most makes of

vehicle and garden machinery.Car Help - Advice - Parts Sourcing.

Web: www.mowermaninbrittany.nete-mail: admin@partsbroker.net

Tel: 02 97 39 95 52

Le Jardinier Anglais.com

Tree surgery services

All tree work undertaken within 150km ofRennes. Specialists in dismantling difficult &

dangerous trees, wood chipper, stumpgrinder, extreme hedge cutting.

FREE CONSULTATIONenquiries@lejardinieranglais.com

www.lejardinieranglais.com+33 (0) 7 86 53 67 26

Siret: 483 859 203

Les BocagesDavid Robins

Royal Forestry Society trained Arboristwww.lesbocages.com

Felling, pruning, plantingall aspects of tree care.

Tel: 02.97.39.99.82 56160 LOCMALOSiret No. 480 997 584 00028

HOUSES ONINTERNET

Do you want to sell yourhouse quickly?

Our fee is only 2.5%Find out how on:

WWW.HOUSESONINTERNET.COM

Tel: 05 55 65 12 19

bml angloagence.comEnglish registered cars

House insurance - Health cover1700 British clients trust us

02 96 87 21 21contact@angloagence.com

Dinan, Brittany

English and Fluent French speakingagent, always needing more houses

for sale, 8 years experienceinfo@normandyandbrittanyhousesforsale.com

TEL FR: +33 (0) 6 19 17 34 61TEL UK: +44 (0) 7880 501 116

www.NormandyandBrittanyhousesforsale.comSiret: 519 751 465

English TV in yourFrench Home

EVERYTHING SATELLITE!Professional installations in Brittany &

NormandyMail-order throughout FranceFree, friendly, helpful advice

TVBrittany & TVNormandyRing Trevor on

02 97 74 24 56www.tvbrittany.com

A BUSINESS TO PROMOTE

A PROPERTY TO SELL

ADVERTISE FOR FREEwww.brittanyforeveryone.com

BRETON BUILDCarpenter, roofer and general builder

specialising in the renovation of traditional Breton Properties.

Covering all Brittany.

info@bretonbuild.com02 97 38 57 61

www.bretonbuild.comSiret: 489 314 278 00032

Bilingual EnglishElectrician/Plumber

Registered and insured in France

Mike and Pam DerbyTel: +33 (0)2 96 84 86 28

Email: catch22services@aol.comWeb: www.electricianbrittany.com

Siret: 480 938 083 00015

56 MORBIHAN 56All types of work, Exterior-Interior,

New - Renovation-Repair.Entreprise Brown Robert

Tel/Fax: 02 97 51 10 11Siret: 424 531 069 00013

St Malo, Dinard, Dinan

SARL BCBPStonework, RenovationGroundwork, Gardening

Full and Part Renovations & Conversions

Connection to MainDrain and Septic Tank

From Mini-Diggersto 20t Diggers

Paving & DeckingPerfect English Spoken

Bruno BonnierTel: 06 71 05 60 82

Email: bonnier.cleran@orange.frSiret : 47942748600010

Canine BehaviouristSolving your dog and puppy problems

using calm, assertive and positive reinforcement methods

Tel: 02 96 36 65 61Mob: 06 45 79 01 67

Email: locarn1@yahoo.co.ukSiret. 481 238 483 00012

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Directory 13Brittany Pages October 2011

ADVERTISING FEATURES

JACKIE Gorton is a professionaldog behaviourist who works withowners to solve their dog’s behav-ioural issues. The spectrum of prob-lems is vast but Jackie’s help canresolve issues that include: aggres-sion; phobias, such as an aversion togetting in the car or a particularnoise; bad manners, such as jump-ing up; over-excitement; and fear-based reactions.

If any of these behaviours makeyou think of your dog, then the first thing to do would be tocontact Jackie for an initial consultation.

“First, I go along to the owner’shouse to have a look at the dog insitu, watch his reactions, carry out adiagnostic and then work out atreatment,” said Jackie.

If the dog has taken on the behav-

iour from the mother, as a puppythen usually it cannot be changed,but if it is a learned behaviour thenshe says the problem can almostcertainly be solved.

Most treatments cannot be dealtwith during just one consultationand usually certain techniques areput in place that the owner has tocarry out for two weeks. “I have towork hand-in-hand with the ownerswho need to be willing and tounderstand why they are enforcingthose techniques,” said Jackie.

More often than not the start tosolving the behavioural problemrequires establishing the owner aspack leader and this brings into playmany techniques, two of which aregesture eating and the five-minuterule.

“Leaders always eat before the rest

of the pack. So for gesture eatingyou need to put a biscuit downbeside the dog bowl and once youhave eaten it you put the dog’s fooddown and walk away,” said Jackie.

The five-minute rule not onlyestablishes you as a pack leader inyour home, but can also resolve sep-aration anxiety issues. “Every time apack leader comes back into thepack they are not approachedbecause they are respected. So, forfive minutes after you return to yourhouse you have to ignore your dog,”said Jackie. “Giving attention is likecoming back to the pack leaderrather than you coming back aspack leader.”

Jackie can go on to employ a rangeof techniques - including eventmarking via clicker training - oncethese initial two weeks are over, but

she usually finds there has been avast improvement during this time.

As well as working with ownersand local refuges to improve dogbehaviour, Jackie also enjoys helpinglocal organisations to raise moneyby running fun agility courses.

“My agility equipment is portableand recently we set it up for theAIKB charity, which helps Britishpeople integrate into the French

lifestyle, and raised lots of money,”said Jackie. “It was a really good funday out and I’d be very happy to domore fundraising events like that.”For more information or to discussyour dog’s behavioural problemscontact Jackie by phone or email.

02 96 36 65 6106 45 79 01 67locarn1@yahoo.co.uk

Are you the leader ofthe pack?

Dog behaviour specialist Jackie Gorton improves the behaviour ofdogs all over Brittany and also sets up fun agility events for charity

From constant barking to pulling on the lead -dog behaviourist Jackie Gorton can help youput a stop to your dog’s annoying habits

PHILIPPA andAllan Lyall havebeen doinghouse swaps foralmost tenyears. This con-cept is not newand there arenumerous web-sites offeringexchanges, butconventionalhome swapshave an inher-ent problem: toorganise anexchange youneed to findsomeone with aproperty in aplace you wantto visit, who

also wants to take a holiday in yourarea.

“There’s nothing more frustratingthan finding the perfect holidayhome and discovering that the own-ers don’t want tocome to your part ofthe world,” saidPhilippa.

“We decided theremust be a simplerway, one with all theadvantages of a homeswap without havingto find a directexchange partner.”The result was TheHoliday Exchange.

The idea is simple. Members“bank” certain weeks for others tostay in their property. In return theycan take holidays anywhere, any

time, without the need for a directswap.

“The exchanges can happen at anytime and the system takes care of itall, so all you need to concentrate onis finding your perfect destination,”said Allan.

“To start the ball rolling, one holi-day can usually be taken before any-one has booked to stay in your

property.”The system is

totally flexible,and if you get abooking fromelsewhere for a“banked” week,all you need dois change thedates your prop-erty is available.This way, you

never have to decline a holiday let.The Holiday Exchange is for mem-bers only and there is an annual feeof €80.

“The company is currently in its

pre-launch period so we are seekingowners who might want to registertheir properties with us,” said Allan.“Those who express an interest,without obligation, during pre-launch will pay just €30 for the firstyear if they join when The HolidayExchange goes live - a saving of over60%.”

The Holiday Exchange is ideallysuited to members with gites, cot-tages, villas and apartments,although this is not exclusive.Owners of house boats, canal bargesor larger motor homes could alsobecome members.

While Philippa and Allan activelyencourage people with second orholiday homes to join the scheme,as these offer most flexibility, thisunique system works for peoplewishing to swap their permanentplace of residence too.

www.theholidayexchange.com 02 97 93 91 5606 35 92 80 01

We all deserve a great holiday, but have you ever fancied a particular placeyet been put off by the price of accommodation? One way to eliminate thiscost, say Philippa and Allan Lyall, is to consider doing a home exchange

House swap your way to cheaper holidays

Philippa and Allan Lyall are launching The HolidayExchange so members can house swap for theirholidays all over the world without the need for adirect exchange partner

“The exchanges can happen at any time andthe system takes care of it all, so all you need to concentrate on is findingyour perfect destination

VB PLOMBIER is a small familyrun Brittany-based business offeringadvice and solutions relating to anyheating and plumbing issues a prop-erty might have. Vince and MandyBoon are now in their fourth year ofrunning the business, which contin-ues to grow and go from strength tostrength.

Vince worked as a plumber in theUK for many years before movingover to France with his family and isa fully French-registered artisancovering all aspects of the plumbingbusiness. He specialises in oil-firedboiler and heating systems and candeal with any problem, from breakdowns to complete heating installations.

Recently VB Plombier became theonly French-registered supplier forthe UK’s Mistral boilers, so the

company is now able to offer a UKboiler here in France at a very com-petitive price.

“These boilers comply with all EUregulations and run very happily onFrench diesel oil at an efficiency of94%,” said Mandy. They also comewith a two-year parts and labourwarranty and all work is fully cov-ered by the company’s artisandecennial insurance.

VB Plombier does not just carryout the common plumbing require-ments, such as new bathroominstallations and kitchen sinkreplacements, but offers a wholerange of services to help customersmanage their home. “We can alsodo all the little jobs that most of ushate to do,” said Vince.

“Last year we started a chimneysweeping service, which has proved

to be very popular, as itis obligatory here inFrance to have yourchimney swept for yourhouse insurance.” Theservice has proved sopopular that the compa-ny has recentlyemployed someone tohelp meet with demand.

Mandy added: “Wepride ourselves on ourcustomer satisfaction,and reliability, and offera competitive price forall our work. We arehappy to give a no obligation, freedevis for any work customers wishto have done and are happy to dis-cuss any issues or problems and giveadvice where required.”

VB Plombier is fully TVA (VAT)

registered which enables it to offer arate of 5.5% instead of the usual19.6%.

The company’s website carries testimonials and photographs ofprevious works, along with details of

services and contact information.

www.vbplombier.frvince@vbplombier.fr02 96 24 78 1106 42 72 39 00

VB Plombier will manage the plumbing of your new bathroom, but it can alsoassist in other areas, such as installing your dishwasher or sweeping the chimney

Don’t be left out in the cold this winterFrom boiler breakdowns to troubleshooting your central heating system,VB Plombier offers a wide range of services to help you keep your plumb-ing and heating systems ship shape during the colder months

14 Property Brittany Pages October 2011

DIY tips

WHY NOT SPONSOR & ADVERTISEYOUR BUSINESS HERE?

SPONSOR & ADVERTISEYOUR BUSINESS HEREFOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL0800 91 77 56 (FREE FROM FRANCE)

notice board

Blossomwith theArno Sternmethod

Promote your community event, send details to brittany@connexionfrance.com

GIROULIS is a weekly painting workshopbased on the Arno Stern method. In 1949Arno Stern ran an atelier for war orphansand noticed that children's creations werericher when created freely and withouttheme. Over the years his method hasbecome famous."I like this kind of approach to painting

because it's not meant to produce worksof art, but to help people find the creativein themselves," said Maryse Prat who runsthe sessions. People paint on sheets ofpaper, which are fixed on the walls, andpaints and brushes are shared. "People are free to do whatever they like

on their sheet of paper and I do not judgeor give instruction," said Maryse, who hasmany happy regulars attending, fromthree-year-old children to senior citizens.She says the Arno Stern approach givespeople the chance to blossom and experi-ence another type of relationship based onrespect. "This is a place, like a shelter,

where you can forget about the stress ofyour life and just play with colour," saidMaryse.The club is held on Wednesdays from

13.45 to 15.15 at Boulevard de laRepublique (entrée principale) in Carhaix.There is no need to have any previousexperience, but Maryse does need to meetwith parents before children attend. Themembership fee is €12 in addition to aquarterly or annual contribution of €70or €195 respectively.For more information call Maryse (whospeaks English and French) on 02 98 9390 60 or read her blog (in French) athttp://giroulisatelierpeinturebretagne.over-blog.com.

COLOUR: The Arno Stern methodencourages people to produce paint-ings that no one is meant to see.

If you want to reduce yourcarbon footprint and heating bills, there are several popular renewableenergy options to choosefrom: solar, biomass orwood-fired, aerothermal and geothermal. FRANCES COOKfinds out more about whateach system involves.

Going solarUSING the inexhaustible nat-ural energy from the sun byinstalling solar thermal panels– either evacuated tube or flatplate – is an effective, pollu-tion-free alternative to fossilfuels.

“A solar thermal system canreduce bills for domesticwater heating by up to 70%,”said Michael Swan, ofDordogne-based Swan Solar.

A stand-alone solar thermalhot water system using evacu-ated tubes is considered oneof the best ways to heat water.“The vacuum inside eachtube provides perfect insula-tion and protects the systemfrom cold and windy weather,so even in these conditions, aslong as it is light it will work,”said Paul Elliott, who runs

Ecopower. It can generatemore than 90% of hot waterneeds.

A 45% crédit d’impôt(money off income tax) isavailable calculated on thecost of materials for a solarthermal system, which takesup to two days to install. A22% tax credit is available forsolar photovoltaic panels,which generate electricity.

To qualify for credits it isvital to use materials of theright specifications, so it isimportant to use a well-estab-lished firm. Detailed factures(bills) should be kept asproof.

Biomass or wood-fired systemsWith almost 17 millionhectares of tree coverage in

France, using a biomass orwood-fired system is a popu-lar choice. There are twotypes of stove: a wood stove,which heats the room it is in,and wood boiler stoves.

The latter can fall into twocategories: a stove which has awrap-around boiler, or woodgasification, wood pellet and

Reduce heating costs andcut your carbon footprint

Installing a solar system attracts moneyoff income tax. Below:

pellets for a biomass boiler

other biomass boilers, whichare normally housed in a sep-arate room from a tank wherethe heat is stored. Tax creditsof up to 36% are offered.

Doubling up onsolar and woodThe combined approach ofinstalling a solar thermal hotwater system and a woodgasification boiler can be aneffective way to heat yourhome. “We save €3,000 peryear on energy bills - basedon a 300m2 house once heat-ed by oil and electricity andnow heated by the sun andwood,” said Mr Swan.

He added that the gasifica-tion boiler and solar panelscomplement each other byworking at different times ofthe year and also heat theswimming pool.

Aerothermal and geothermalAir source heat pumps takefreely available energy fromthe air around your home,and much of the installationwork happens outside, sothere is minimal disruption ormess. “Even though air tem-peratures vary at differenttimes of year, there is always avast amount of thermal ener-gy available,” said Mr Elliott.He added some air sourceheat pumps will operate evenwhen the outside temperatureis -15°C.

Ground source heat pumpstake the heat out of theground, the temperature ofwhich is more stable andhigher than that of the air.

Although extensive diggingup can be disruptive and cost-ly, this type of system is cost-effective for renovations ornew builds where the groundworks are combined withother works.

Tax credits of up to 36% areavailable for heat pumps.

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How to restore oldwooden furniture

BUYING old wooden furniture in an auction or secondhand shop can be an economical way of furnishing yourhome, especially if you are prepared to go for the piecesthat need some work. However make sure the wood isgood quality and that there are no serious faults, or restora-tion will have to be carried out by a professional.

First step in the restoration process is to strip back anyold paint and varnish. If there are several layers, paintstripper is the quickest and most effective solution. Becareful not to leave it on for too long and to wash down thewood with warm water and a cloth afterwards. Once thewood has dried, sand down the surfaces to remove anyremaining paint or varnish.

Next carry out any repairs that need doing. Wood filler isbest for cracks and holes. It is available in different colours,but choose carefully as when dry they can sometimes lookdarker than the wood. Start by cleaning out the cracks orholes and then firmly press in the filler, leaving a smallamount above the surface of the wood. Once it is set,smooth the patch down to the level of the wood with finegrade sandpaper. Continue sanding the rest of the piece offurniture down.

If you would like a natural finish to the wood, gently rubin a light wood stain, following the instructions on the tinand apply furniture wax when dry. To varnish, proceedaccording to instructions on the box and again wax to pro-tect as a final step.

Sometimes the piece of furniture is in good condition bara few superficial stains. In this case, work can be carriedout on those small areas alone. Below are a couple of com-mon problems and solutions.

White SpotsLightly wipe the area with a small amount of methylatedspirits. It is important not to use too much as it can dam-age the finish. If this doesn’t work, use a very fine abrasivein paste form – several applications may be necessary. Assoon as the stain has disappeared, wipe the wood with asoft cloth and apply several layers of hard furniture wax.

BlushingThis is when a white haze appears over the surface of apiece of furniture and is a common problem with old fin-ishes. Blushing is caused by moisture. Firstly, try the sametechniques as for removing white spots. If this doesn’twork, take some No. 0000 steel wool dipped in linseed oiland lightly buff the surface, working with the grain of thewood. Once finished, wipe down with a cloth and applyhard furniture wax.

A small amount of work can transform old wood

Photo:© tiero - Fotolia.com

Property 15Brittany Pages October 2011

PROPERTIES AROUND FRANCE

REF: IFPC18043

€€122,500

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Merdrignac, Côtes d'ArmorBeautiful stone farmhouse with 3bedrooms, situated in 930m2

wooded and landscaped garden.This beautiful renovation offersyou a well maintained property.

REF: 41023

€€142,500

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Langolen, FinistèreThis recent detached housecomes with 2 attached garages. Itcomprises an entrance, fitted andequipped kitchen, living roomwith insert fireplace, 2 bedrooms,bathroom, and wc.

REF: 211

€€185,500

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Cléguérec, MorbihanThis house with its lovely gardencomprises: entrance, fittedkitchen, living room openingonto terrace, bedroom, bathroom, wc, upstairs 2 bedrooms, bathroom with toilet.

REF: 2894

€€227,900

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Maël-Carhaix, Côtes-d'ArmorThis attractive 3/4 bedroomstone property has a wonderfulfitted kitchen, large living roomwith fireplace, shower room andfamily bathroom. Outside thereis a garage.

REF: 106

€€259,530

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Cléguérec, MorbihanThis 6 bedroom house offers alarge spacious lounge/diningroom with fireplace and insertopening onto the garden andpatio, fitted/equipped kitchen,wc and cellar.

REF: 2735

€€153,888

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Collorec, FinistèreLovely neo breton house in thecentre of the village the housecomprises 4 bedrooms, kitchen,large lounge, dining room, bathroom and shower room.Large basement.

REF: IFPC21385

€€180,000 St Jean de Maurienne, Savoie4 bedrooms, end of substantialvillage house at 1410m lookingup to the Grand Coin and acrossthe Valley. Cross Country skiingon site. Wonderful walking. Laidout as two apartments.

REF: IFPC21284

€€620,000Naucelle, AveyronAuthentically restored 4 bedroomcountry house with 11 hectares ofestablished gardens close to thevillage of Naucelle. Includes 2storey stone barn with considerable potential.

ENERGY RATING = D & A

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Saintes, Charente-MaritimeLarge sitting/dining room,kitchen, entrance hall, pantry, 3bedrooms/study, bathroom,recreation room(formerly anoffice and now a music room),garage. Large cellar.

REF: IFPC21202

€€186,500

ENERGY RATING = D & E

Saint-Gaudens, Haute-GaronneA large, elegant house built in1817. Three bedrooms, threebathrooms, large kitchen dinerand large living/dining room.Internal garage. Recent 10m x 5mheated swimming pool.

REF: IFPC21392

€€410,000

ENERGY RATING = D & E

REF: 100360

€€216,000

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Le Bugue, DordogneThis house, within walking distance of a market town in theDordogne, can be used in half aswell in a whole. It has an apart-ment and a converted barn witha passage inbetween.

REF: 12241

€€355,100

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Allemans, DordogneThis house comprises 4 goodsized bedrooms, 2 fullyequipped and modern kitchens,large lounge with fireplace, patio door, dining room, office and tower.

PROPERTIES IN BRITTANY

Buying or selling a property in oraround Brittany? We can help.

Our website www.connexionfrance.comcarries details of more than 14,000homes for sale across France.

We also feature properties for sale in thisdedicated section of the paper eachmonth. To find out more about any par-ticular property, go to www.connexion-france.com and enter the ref: codeshown under the property.

For sellers, the adverts are also displayedacross a range of popular English-lan-guage websites and are seen by thou-sands of potential buyers EVERY day.Our 3+3 package costs just €200TTC

and gives you three months onlineadvertising as well as a print advert inthree editions of The Brittany Pages.Our 6+6 package is best value at€330TTC and provides the same, butfor six months via each channel.

Contact us on 0800 91 77 56 (freephonein France) or email sales@connexionfrance.com

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.comSimply enter the code under each home to find out more

New Consumption and Emission Chart- e.g. Energy rating C & F refers to C for Consumption and F for Emissions

The adverts above cost from just €179TTC for a whole year of web advertisingand one edition of advertising in the Brittany Pages.

Let our distribution get you a sale.Contact our sales team on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France) or email sales@connexionfrance.com

Houses for sale in and around Brittany

Sponsored by

GardeningFacts

by STAFF REPORTER

Matt GilksLandscape Gardening ServiceLandscaping Service Garden Products

Plants & Trees Spring Bulbs Reclamation and scrap metal service

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Pruning: Trim back to encourage new spring growth

A fiery farewellto summer foliageAUTUMN is here and it is time to enjoy cooler weather andberries and fruit in the garden. Virginia Creeper, Acerpalmatum, Pyracantha and Rubeckia will add vivid colour toyour garden in October. The main tasks this month are toclear any remaining summer bedding plants, plant springbulbs and prepare less hardy plants for colder weather orfrosts. Clean dead leaves from ponds and cover with netting.

In the flower garden, October is the best month to plantbulbs (daffodils, tulips, crocus) and biannually floweringplants such as daisies, wallflowers (stock) and forget-me-nots. Between these you can sow spring flowers. Lavenderand climbing roses can be pruned to encourage new growthand dahlia tubers should be dug up before the first frosts.Geraniums, fuschias and begonias should be brought in to adry, frost-free winter storage area. October is an ideal monthto hoe weeds, mow and repair lawns, lay turf and make rosecuttings. A tip for a long-lasting splash of colour in thespring, is to plant different bulb varieties in layers in one pot.The display should go on for weeks.

In the fruit garden, it is time to prune fruit canes and orderseeds for next year. Pick ripe apples, pears and grapes andstore those unblemished. It is the season to prune trees andplant new apricot, nectarine and peach trees before the soilcools down over winter. Once you have harvested blackber-ries and raspberries, trim down the stems to make room fornext year's growth. Raise and separate rhubarb crowns andprevent strawberry runners running wild. Take wood cut-tings from grape vines, fig trees and gooseberries, and pro-tect young fig trees with netting filled with straw. Beat thesquirrels to your garden hazelnuts and sweet chestnuts oncethey are an orange/brown colour.

In the vegetable patch pick beans, plant cabbages, trimback asparagus leaves and make the beds ready for springplanting. Cut back tomato leaves, exposing fruit to ripen andharvest pumpkins and squashes, putting them first in thesun so their skins harden, then storing in a cool, dry, unlitarea. You can reap your onion crop and fold over the leavesof any remaining to stop them seeding. Potatoes, carrots andbeetroot should be dug up and herbs picked and stored, sav-ing seeds if possible. Dig unused plots , adding manure.

Finally, in the greenhouse, monitor the temperature andservice any heating equipment. Check your potted plants donot become pot bound, and support fruiting tomato plants.

French October weather proverbs : Brouillards d'octobre et pluvieux novembre, font bon

décembre (October fog and November rain means fairDecember weather). A la saint-Denis, l'hiver fait son lit (On Saint Denis' Day

- October 9 - winter sets its course).

www.mayenne53.comTel 02 43 13 06 56 info@mayenne53.com

Matt GilksLandscape Gardening Service

16 Profile Brittany Pages October 2011

BREAKING records is becomingsomething of a habit for AnneQuéméré. Born in Quimper, shegrew up in a maritime atmosphereand spent most of her time on thesea with her father, a sailing instruc-tor at the famous Ecole des Glénans.

She left France for the UnitedStates in the early 1990s and whileshe was there she lost her connec-tion with sailing. But in 2000 shereturned to Brittany: “I wanted toreconnect with the Northern

Atlantic, the northwest wind and thedrizzle,” she says.

Anne’s father had built a replica ofa traditional rowing boat known as agig of Scilly, and she started todream of an incredible adventure.She wanted to row the Atlanticalong the route of the Trade Winds,alone and without help.

She settled down to training andeventually left the Canary Islands ina six-metre boat in December 2002.She reached her destination, theWest Indies, in 56 days, beating thewomen’s world record.

It was that trip that changed herlife, as that was when she “caughtthe virus” as she puts it. She onlycame back to land to prepare for the

next adventure. This time sheplanned to row across the Atlantictaking the north route, fromAmerica to the French coast.

In August 2004, after 87gruellingdays of rowing 6,450 km, shecrossed the finishing line, and setyet another new record.

As if these records were notenough, she had another dream – tocross the ocean using only a kite forpower. “Feeling the power of thewind in my kite is really amazing,”says Anne. “Kite propulsion is arelatively new way to travel and it isimproving every day. It has thepotential to be used in other areas,and this is a great inspiration to me.”

Anne and her kite crossed the

Atlantic and the Pacific three timesbetween 2006 and 2011, her last tripproving very challenging.

She left Peru in March of this yearhoping to cover the 2,000 km toTahiti on her six-metre boat, pulledby a kite sail. Two weeks later therewas a problem with the boat’s tillerand she lost radio contact. Luckilyher support team managed to followher progress using the boat’s satellitelink and they knew she was still incontrol of her vessel. Overcomingthese hardships, she managed tocomplete the trip.

Organising each voyage is anadventure in itself, Anne explains,requiring two years of careful tech-nical preparation, as well as

endurance training. A passionateteam backs her, led by her father,Ronan Quéméré, who gives valuablehelp. Anne describes Ronan as“my lieutenant, my right arm – in

short, my best ally. I have absoluteconfidence in him.”

But what does it feel like to reachland after two months on the ocean?“With the noise and the people, Ifind it can feel all a bit aggressive,”she says. “But it’s like coming homefrom a holiday. You read just veryquickly.”

Back on dry land, Anne is lookingfor new sponsorship so that she canrepair her boat and organise hernext voyage, which will, no doubt,lead her to another new record.

The siren call of the sea

Anne Quéméré’s search forrecords to break is relentless,whether she’s rowing acrossthe Atlantic or being pulled bya kite across the Pacific.ISABELLE CARVALHO reports

The power of the wind in her kite took Anne Quéméré (above and left) 2,000 km from Peru to Tahiti. But she wants more adventure

Photos © R

onan Quém

éré