Editorial
February 2012
By Julia Dunbar
Sorry for the absence of Creuse News in January. Thank you to everyone who sent their kind thoughts and words to me on the death of my mother. My mother had a long life and she was tired, so it was her time, but you can never prepare yourself for the finality of someone no longer being present, in body anyway, as for sure my mother will always be with us in our hearts and minds. My daughter frequently says I’m turning into my mother, I’m taking that as a compliment, if I can be half as caring to others as my Mum was then I’ll be happy.
When speaking to various people this month everyone is concerned about rising prices in particular the cost of fuel as here in the Creuse everywhere seems to take half an hour to get there! People are thinking twice about making a journey, trying to economise on fuel consumption, it’s certainly one of my greatest expenses. A French friend is a great fan of co-voiturage, car sharing, it’s green and it’s cheap, perhaps we British should consider this alternative too, share a car for a trip to Limoges, for example. Creuse News is looking into creating a car sharing spot on the website, I’d be interested to hear your views…
Don’t forget St Valentine’s Day on the 14th, when lovers are supposed to express their love for each other; you could quote this 1784 poem -
‘The rose is red, the violet's blue
The honey's sweet, and so are you
Thou are my love and I am thine
I drew thee to my Valentine
The lot was cast and then I drew
And Fortune said it shou'd be you.’
Julia Dunbar,
Editor
STOP PRESS
SINGERS WANTED I am looking for singers to start a new ensemble vocale. You need to be able to (sight)read music and have choir experience, we aim for a more then average level of music making. Repertoire from early renaissance to contemporary 21st Century, in French, English, German and Latin. Rehearsals in French, every two or three weeks, in the north of La Creuse, in Lourdoueix-Saint-Pierre. If you are interested please let me know your voice, level and experience. Email to kinnejanne@yahoo.com or call 05 55 81 31 26.
ST VALENTINE’s DAY SPECIAL An opportunity to cook something special for your loved one at the Auberge de l’Atre, Bourganeuf cookery workshop with chef Stéphanie Leluyer, on Tuesday 14th February from 4.30 to 6.30 pm. Bring along your apron and containers to take your food home, there is also the chance to eat after the cooking class, in the restaurant, from 7.30pm onwards. The cookery class is open to everyone, 5 euros per person.
CHOUCROUTE EVENING The Auzances-Rosstal Twinning Committee are organising a Choucroute Evening on 25th February in the Salle des Fêtes d’Auzances at 8pm. Come and join us for an entertaining evening, 18 euros per person, 9 euros for children. To book or for more information, ring E Arnaud on 05 55 67 05 61 or 06 87 12 11 10.
SATURDAYS IN THE GARDEN As you will see on page 9 of Creuse News (in French), the Training Centre at the Lycée Agricole in Ahun is beginning its season of training courses in February. The courses are open to all, the first one being on Saturday 11th February, Pruning Fruit Trees is the subject; discover all you need to know from a local expert. Saturday 18th February is part 2 of the Pruning Fruit Trees course with more advice and questions answered. Saturday 25th February, the subject is Grafting – Why? How? When? – a fascinating course with much to learn and marvel at. All courses run from 8.30am to 12 and the cost is 27 euros, if you wish to register or find out more information then contact the CFPPA at the Lycée Agricole, Ahun on 05 55 81 48 90. Watch this space for future interesting courses which are taking place throughout the year at the Training Centre in Ahun.
LATEST NEWS
“St Pardoux Society” A group of British & French residents in and around the St Pardoux area have formed a new group to assist those not fluent in the French language to integrate with the French community, socialise and learn the language in a supportive environment. We are looking to have our first event in March and we would welcome anyone that wishes to get involved. Pls Contact Helen on 05 55 47 37 01 or email hope.h@sky.com for more details
Chambre de Métiers News The RSI now has a new website www.rsi.fr – lots of information there for you, and of course it’s in French. A reminder that if you are an autoentrepreneur and you don’t have any turnover you must still declare a zero turnover, failure to do this results in a fine.
Once again people have been caught out setting up ‘Gardening’ on line as an autoentrepreneur, this is not possible as the organisation dealing with contributions for this status – the MSA – do not recognise the status of autoentrepreneur, so you will be charged with the normal, large contributions, this creates all manner of problems when trying to extricate yourself from this situation.
Are you actually paying more contributions as an autoentrepreneur than you would be as an Entreprise Individuelle? If you are working full time as an artisan, need to buy materials and perhaps subcontract, then the autoentrepreneur status isn’t always the best one, contact Olivia (details below) for more information and advice.
Olivia Dunbar, Conseillère Centre d’Aide à la Décision, Chambre départementale de Métiers et de l’Artisanat de la Creuse
05 55 51 95 30
o.dunbar@cma-gueret.fr
Be Seen In Green For An Early St Patrick’s Day! St Patrick’s Day is coming a little early to Boussac this year! On 10th March, the AIPB of Boussac, in partnership with the Troubadours, is holding a St Patrick’s Event. It’s a night of music from the talented Poitiers-based band Argyle, winners of the Battle of the Bands in 2010, and Boussac’s own excellent Fingers in the Noise. The entertainment beginsat 9pm in the Salle Polyvalente in Boussac. Entrance is €5 per person. Food and drink will be available. And, for fun, please wear green if you can to celebrate this special day for the Emerald Isle! Tickets are available on the door or in advance from the Office de Tourisme in Boussac. Please see AIPB’s website at www.aipbboussac.fr for further information.
Storytime in La Souterraine Parents and young children in La Souterraine will now be able to hear stories in English and take part in language based activities at the new ‘Storytime’ sessions at the La Souterraine English Library and Information Centre. ‘This is an opportunity for the English children in our community to access English stories and English Literature’, said Library President and former primary school head teacher Rodney Sabine. While our children get a good education in French schools they cannot always access the variety of English children’s books in an English Library’
The sessions will be run by Suzanne Ellwood and Emma West, both of whom have a wide experience of working in English Primary Schools. French parents who want their children to listen to English stories will be equally welcome. The sessions will be held at 10 am on the second Wednesday on each month, starting on 8th February and 14th March. Mums and Dads can enjoy a coffee in the Library café as well as listen to the stories with the children.
Featured Article:
French Citizenship
When you have lived away from your ‘home’ country for many years perhaps it is a possibility that you will consider taking on the nationality of your ‘adopted’ country. After all, as the law stands now, for British people who have lived away from England for more than 15 years you can no longer vote there and as you can’t vote in the Presidential elections in France unless you are a French citizen the decision to take French citizenship could be an important one.
However, taking on French citizenship is not just a question of administration and paperwork it needs thought and a willingness to adhere to the principles, values and symbols of French democracy.
As from January this year it will be tougher to obtain French citizenship, applicants will need to pass a more difficult language test, in fact to attain the level of a 15-year-old mother tongue speaker and will be tested on French culture and history. You will also be required to sign a new charter stating your rights and responsibilities. The new rules have been drawn up by Sarkozy’s Interior Minister Claude Guéant, he stresses the importance of the secular society, equality between men and women, this is seen by some as a snipe at Muslim applicants who make up most of the 100,000 new citizens admitted each year.
In this year of Presidential elections, François Holland, the Socialist party candidate in the elections, sees these statements as simply attempts to capture votes from the far right. The Interior Minister is certainly being tough on immigration too, another vote catcher perhaps, by promising to reduce the legal immigrants from 200,000 per year to 180,000.
Sarkozy’s UMP party are also set to introduce new rules for non-French children, who are born in France and normally become a French citizen at the age of 18, if the new rules become law, they will have to formally apply for citizenship, which is almost a step backwards to 20 years ago when the phrase ‘zero immigration’ was coined and where it become almost impossible for children born to non French parents to be naturalised.
Taking on French citizenship is not a decision to be taking lightly then, although dual nationality is still possible, if Marie le Pen, the leader of the national Front, has her way, this will also become illegal as she sees it as a way of reducing French values – it is rare to find politicians from different parties ever agreeing on anything, surely they can’t always have opposing views on everything, can they?
France will apply new requirements, which include tough language tests and allegiance to “French values”, to seek French citizenship as of January. Foreigners seeking French nationality face tougher requirements as of January 1, when new rules drawn up by Interior Minister Claude Guéant come into force.
Candidates will be tested on French culture and history, and will have to prove their French language skills are equivalent to those of a 15-year-old mother tongue speaker. They will also be required to sign a new charter establishing their rights and responsibilities.
“Becoming French is not a mere administrative step. It is a decision that requires a lot of thought”, reads the charter, drafted by France’s High Council for Integration (HCI). In a more obscure passage, the charter suggests that by taking on French citizenship, “applicants will no longer be able to claim allegiance to another country while on French soil”, although dual nationality will still be allowed.
Guéant, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s ruling UMP party, described the process as “a solemn occasion between the host nation and the applicant”, adding that migrants should be integrated through language and “an adherence to the principals, values and symbols of our democracy”.
He stressed the importance of the secular state and equality between women and men: rhetoric perceived largely as a snipe at Muslim applicants, who make up the majority of the 100,000 new French citizens admitted each year.
France’s interior minister has made it clear that immigrants who refuse to “assimilate” into French society should be denied French citizenship. Earlier this year, Guéant intervened personally to ensure an Algerian-born man living in France was denied French nationality because of his “degrading attitude” to his French wife. That followed an earlier push by France’s former Immigration Minister Eric Besson to revise existing laws in order to strip polygamists of their acquired citizenship.
Critics say that France is making it harder for foreigners to be French Nationals. They also urged the new procedures and said they are an electoral ploy that panders to the far right. But the interior minister has taken a hard line on immigration, announcing plans to reduce the number of legal immigrants coming to France annually from 200,000 to 180,000 and calling for those convicted of felony to be expelled from the country.
François Hollande, the Socialist Party’s candidate in forthcoming presidential elections, described Guéant’s stance as “the election strategy of a right wing ready to do anything in order to hold on to power”, adding that his own party would tackle all criminals “irrespective of their nationality”.
Under further proposals put forward by the ruling UMP party, non-French children who would normally be naturalised at the age of 18 (those who are born in the country and have spent most of their childhood there) would instead have to formally apply to the state.
Should Sarkozy and his party secure a second term in 2012, analysts predict a return to an immigration stance that hasn’t been seen in France for almost two decades. They point to a case of déjà vu: in 1993 Charles Pasqua, then France’s interior minister, coined the slogan “zero immigration” and introduced a bill that made it virtually impossible for children born in France to non-French parents to be naturalised.
IN BRIEF FEBRUARY 2012
National Holidays in France
1 January - New Year's Day (Jour de l'an)
7 April – Good Friday: applicable only to Alsace and Lorraine
9 April - Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques)
1 May - Labour Day (Fête du premier mai)
8 May - WWII Victory Day (Fête du huitième mai or Jour de la Victoire 45)
17 May - Ascension Day (Jour de l'Ascension)
28 May – Pentecost (Lundi de Pentecôte) Whit Monday
14 July - Bastille Day (Fête nationale)
15 August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Assomption)
1 November - All Saints Day (La Toussaint)
11 November - Armistice Day (Jour d'armistice)
25 December - Christmas Day (Noël)
26 December – Boxing Day (Deuxième jour de Noël): applicable only to Alsace and Lorraine
Please note: Alsace and Lorraine are the only regions which have two extra public holidays. The former Germany territory retained these two extra public holidays when it was returned to France at the end of WWI.
PLANET BIERE Franck is your Belgian beer specialist based in the Creuse, plus spirits, champagnes, wines, syrups, sodas, loan of beer pumps, kegs, glasses, related equipment for your association, business or private party. He can supply all your ‘drinks’ needs whether you are a bar, restaurant, professional or an individual, his website is www.costebieres.fr /06 82 31 15 60 (see his ad in Creuse News).
NEW YEARS RESOLUTION? Club de Musique 3 Feb 2012 Why not promise to do something for yourself this year that you have always wanted to do and if its music, either playing or singing, then please come and join us at LE VIEUX SOLDAT, Bar/Pub, 7 Rue de la Fontaine, 87250 Fromental, first Friday in every month around 8pm.
For those of you who are unaware of the Club de Musique and how it operates, I will explain. Its a non-profit making club and its aimed to bring pleasure and fun to all people of any age, nationality, creed etc who have always fancied having a go at getting up and playing their guitar, or tambourine, or triangle, even the spoons, if you want. You can get up and sing a song, or read out a poem, the chose is yours, there is no pressure, and you can come along and sit and enjoy the evening, having a drink or something small to eat and just watch. So, get out that guitar or penny whistle that has been lurking in the back room for the last twenty years or so, dust it down and come and join us for an evening of music and fun!!
My experience going to the Club de Musique has been a dream, in the respect that I always wanted to get up and sing or play, but never had the nerve or confidence. I have achieved that now by going to the club and I am even learning to play an instrument. I have made many like minded friends and we socialise together. Through the Club de Musique others have created their own music clubs and new bands have been formed. It really is all about having some fun and making new friends and I have learnt so much.
Look forward to seeing you there.
Jackie
Traditions of Great Britain – can you help? The Association Culturelle, Sportive et du Loisirs in St. Pardoux-Morterolles is planning a 'Traditions of Great Britain' day on Sat 21st April. At the moment the planning is in the hands of a very small group, including myself and my neighbour Carol Bartnik and we are desperately looking to get other Brits involved in the management of the event.
Basically, we're hoping to share some of our traditional culture with our French neighbours - that means anyone who can get to St. Pardoux! At present, in the afternoon, we're hoping to have a few degustation stalls with traditional British foods, such as Scottish Shortbread, Bara Brith, Cornish Pasties, Soda Bread etc; some old games such as Aunt Sally, Wellie Wanging etc; a small exhibition about the various Patron Saints and a brief history of Gt Britain.
Early evening we hope to provide British food. Initially our thoughts were along the lines of a sheep or hog roast but we need an 'expert' for this. Alternatively we're looking at good old Irish Stew, Lancashire Hotpot or, even, haggis if we can get enough brought over from UK at the right time.
We want the evening to continue with some music and dancing and we're looking for someone or some group who could either 'call' a Barn Dance or demonstrate English Country Dancing.
If anyone would like to offer help, ideas etc., then I can be contacted on peter.edmondson2@orange.fr or on 05 55 64 14 86 or 0642 30 72 65
Rugby Anyone? Free entrance to Creuse News readers …Privés de rugby ? Disponibles pour encadrer des jeunes rugbymen, devenir supporters du RUGBY CLUB GUERETOIS CREUSE ou dans le cadre de votre activité professionnelle, partenaires du club ? Pas d’hésitation : rejoignez-nous à notre Club – House ou au stade Léo Lagrange dès cette saison. Contacts : 05 55 52 76 24 ou rcg23@wanadoo.fr Places entrée gratuite offertes aux britanniques lecteurs de Creuse News.
Here’s an opportunity to enjoy rugby in Guéret either as a spectator, a helper or a partner. The Guéret Rugby club is offering Creuse News readers a warm welcome and free entry to their matches, you can contact them by phone or email or simply just pop along to the Club House at the stadium, there is usually someone there all the time, or have a look on their website for more information on match dates etc…www.rcgc23.com
