Help Ban Wild Animals in Circuses

Roll up roll up - the circus is in town.  Doesn't everyone love them?  The big top with its slapstick clowns, daredevil acrobats and ...... oh and performing wild animals.  In 17 countries around the world, wild animals are not allowed in circuses but in France, the UK, the US and countless other countries this is not the case.  Throughout the summer, across France you will see posters proudly advertising whichever circus is in town and without a modicum of compassion also displaying the wild animals that will supposedly amaze and delight you.

STOP.  This is 2017 and I thought we had left such atrocities against Nature well and truly in the past.  But no, this is not the case and this was once again brought to my attention when Phoebe, a friend down in Provence, sent me pictures of this circus hippo that she snapped in her local town. Look carefully too and you will see lions caged in small travelling wagons acting as part of the hippo enclosure.

Photo by Phoebe from Lou Messugo

10 Sites you may have missed in Bayeux

Mention Bayeux, the Normandy town, and anyone who was awake in their British history lessons will more than likely be thinking 1066, the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror and the famous tapestry that depicts this period in English/French/Norman history.  The Tapestry is on show in Bayeux and is one on the most visited places for guests staying at the gite.  I have been 3 times and it should not be missed as it is a most remarkable piece of history and craftsmanship.  However, do not think that Bayeux is just the Tapestry because this delightful town has so much more to offer visitors:

10 Sites you should not miss in Bayeux

1. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux

This imposing building was consecrated in 1077 but has undergone many changes over the years especially after it was badly damaged in the 12th century.  It has close ties with William the Conqueror and is where the Bayeux Tapestry was originally hung.  Thankfully, it remained undamaged during World War II as after the D-Day Landings German troops quickly withdrew leaving Bayeux to be the first town in Normandy to be liberated on June 7th 1944, the day after D-Day.

2. The River

The River Aure passes through the centre of Bayeux.  On it's banks both the water wheel and wash houses harp back to an earlier time when the river was so much more important to the town.  Today they are both well preserved and worth searching out.  The water wheel is near the cathedral and the wash house close to the Tapestry Museum car park.

3. Old buildings

Because Bayeux was liberated from the Germans so quickly it survived the subsequent Battle of Normandy with minimal damage.  Many of it's oldest buildings still survive including this fabulous overhanging half timbered house dating from the 13th century.

A bit more hidden up a small side alley I also found this wonderful old building and tower, now sadly in a rather bad state of repair but still an impressive construction from the past.   I am guessing from it's height that land was expensive in Bayeux and hence tall buildings were constructed to get as much living spaced as possible from each square meter of land.

4. Building decorations

Throughout the town many of the buildings exhibit wonderful decorations and additions. These include ornate window grills, wooden creatures and small carvings.  The carving on the right of the first picture is a depiction of a person and tree from the Bayeux Tapestry.

5. Doorways

With so many other Norman towns destroyed in World War 2 it is difficult to say if Bayeux is typical of how the region's towns would have looked before the war.  What is true to say though is that it's buildings have some pretty impressive doorways that thankfully survive for us to enjoy today. Who would not want to have a school entrance like this.

I also love this large wooden door and wonder why it was so big.  Even the road sign next to it is from before World War 2.

6. Shop signs

I also love ornate French shop signs so whilst you are walking through Bayeux do not forget to look up and see how many you can spot.  From ancient façades, weathered by time, to modern glass-like signs they should not be missed.

 

7. Public Gardens

Situated on the edge of Bayeux these gardens are a little bit of a walk but I really do recommend a visit.  They are home to a tree designated as an "arbre remarquable de France" and all I will say is that it is a most magnificent plant, although at first glance it may not appear so!  I wrote about it and the gardens in this blog, titled Le Jardin Public de Bayeux if you fancy seeing what I mean.
 

8. Bayeux War Cemetery

This large cemetery is the largest Commonwealth War Cemetery in France where over 4000 soldiers have their final resting place including 388 unidentified bodies and just over 500 German soldiers.  It is a poignant reminder that whilst Bayeux survived the war without much damage fighting was long and intense in the weeks and months after D-Day and many soldiers lost their lives.  As with all Commonwealth cemeteries it is maintained in an immaculate state and has records to help visitors find particular graves.  It is situated next to the by-pass (D5) on the south-western outskirts of the town but despite the passing traffic it is still an amazingly peaceful place.

9. Museums

As well as the Tapestry Museum, Bayeux has other two museums and all three together make up the Bayeux Museum.  These are The Battle of Normandy Museum, close to the Cemetery and The Musée d'art et d'histoire Baron Gérard known simply as MAHB which is near the cathedral.  The latter houses 600 works of art, 1000 pieces of porcelain and lace (for which Bayeux is famed) and 800 archaeological pieces.  A joint ticket for all three museums is available at a reduced price.

10. Bayeux Markets and Shops

If you find yourself in Bayeux on a Saturday do head to the market on Place Saint Patrice where a large number of vendors sell wonderful, local, Normandy produce (7.30am - 2.30pm).  A second market on a Tuesday takes place on the Rue St Jean (7.30am - 2pm).  There are also other one off markets through the year including a Christmas market, Medieval Fayre and a summer braderie (second hand goods).

Christmas market - image from www.mairie-bayeux.fr

The main street is home to some lovely shops (I resisted going into the cookery shop when I was there as I rarely can come away empty handed!) but be aware that if you visit on Monday some shops and restaurants will be closed.  Many will not be open on a Sunday either.

For anyone visiting Normandy I absolutely recommend that you go and see the Tapestry.  But whilst there do spend a bit more time in the town as it has so much to interest to offer. For more images please do head over to my Bayeux Pinterest Board.

Have you visited Bayeux?  What did you most enjoy?

If you want to visit Bayeux and are looking for somewhere to stay our gite - Eco-Gites of Lenault - is just 45 minutes away.  It sleeps 5 + a baby and welcomes guests all year round.  If just 2 people stay we will reduce the price by 15% (T&Cs apply) and we have a code to give you 20% off crossings with Brittany Ferries.
 

From Guadeloupe to Normandy, the Tale of a Potcake Dog

Saari currently has a canine friend staying whose owners are away for a couple of weeks. She is called Perle and she has a rather interesting history. However, Saari is not all interested in her history, she is just happy to have a playmate, some-one to keep her company on her walks and a bed she can steal that is more comfortable than hers!

So what is Perle's interesting tale?

Perle was in fact born in Guadeloupe, a French island in the Caribbean.  She was a street dog know in French as a chien errant (feral dog) and these dogs are all too numerous on many of the Caribbean Islands.  In the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas (and to a lesser degree in Guadeloupe) they are known as potcake dogs.  The name comes from the fact that many of the residents used to feed these feral dogs the sticky mixture from the bottom of their pots of rice and peas, a traditional Caribbean dish.  The dogs themselves are most probably descended from dogs who arrived on the islands with early settlers and although this may have included many breeds, the potcake dogs themselves now all look somewhat similar.  Perle is an excellent example - short coated, shortish legged and (in her case) a slight look of dachshund about her.

On Guadeloupe these potcake dogs are now a major problem.  Estimates vary greatly as to the numbers but it is thought some 500 puppies are born every day.  The dogs suffer greatly through their short lives from malnutrition, disease, parasites and injury.  If you have a strong stomach (and I mean strong as some of the images are quite horrific, then Google "chien errant Guadeloupe").  To try and combat their rising numbers there are some sterilisation programmes in place and a limited number of adoption agencies working to re-home dogs that are taken from the streets.

Perle was one of the lucky ones.  By the age of less than a year she had already had a litter of puppies but she was caught, spayed and placed with a re-homing charity.  This charity works initially with the dogs in Guadeloupe,  ensuring they are healthy, taming them and generally turning them from feral street dogs to tame, potential pets.  They are then flown to France, to a refuge near Paris and put up for adoption.  Our friends got to hear of this charity just as they were looking for a pet and visited the refuge hoping to be lucky.  All homes wishing to adopt a potcake dog are inspected for suitability (this is not often the case with other dog refuges in France who are often just relieved to give a dog a home) .... and by chance for our friends one of the ladies who checks homes actually works in our local town of Condé-sur-Noireau.  Their home was deemed suitable and Perle, the street dog from Guadeloupe found herself a new and loving home surrounded by the fields of rural Normandy.  Quelle chance!! 

For anyone wanting information about re-homing Potcake Dogs in France please contact: 
 
Association Secours Protection Animale
21Ter Rue Anatole France - 95120 ERMONT
Tel: 06.51.72.73.13
 
internet site: www.secours-animaux-guadeloupe.fr

Books I have read in French

Posted by Rosie

I often get asked how I learnt to speak French.  One thing I have found has helped considerably is to read books in French as it increases your vocabulary and knowledge of phases.  I started with toddler books but am now able to tackle booked for adults.  I do prefer to have read them in English first and so I know the general storyline and it doesn't matter if I don't understand every word. But if a word or phrase keeps coming up that I don't understand I will go and look it up.

So here are a few books I have tackled in French:

All sorts of Roald Dahl books including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, Matilda and the BFG.  It was interesting reading the BFG with all the made up words!

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis

Spiderwick - Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black - I am now quite the expert of the French terms for elves, goblins and suchlike.

All Creatures Great and Small - James Herriot.  The translation managed to put an accent into any farmer who spoke but I very much doubt it bore any resemblance to a Yorkshire accent.

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone - JK Rowling  This is called Harry Potter à l'école des Sorciers in French and Hogwarts gets renamed Poudlard as Hogwarts is not a word the French can say easily.

Longbourn -  Jo Baker.  I was recommended the book by a French friend so bought the English version, loved it and read the French one straight afterwards.  It is a modern day writing of the servants who worked for the Bennets of Pride and Prejudice fame. 

The Boy in The Stripped Pyjamas - John Boyne.   A painfully sad WWII story


Sarah's Key - Gilles Paquet-Brenner.  In French this is called Elle s'appelle Sarah and another very sad WWII tale.

Fear the worst - Linwood Barclay.  This was a thriller about a father's search for his daughter and not really my genre at all.  However a friend lent it to me and I did enjoy it in French.

And now for some that were a bit more challenging:

The War of the Worlds - HG Wells

Animal Farm - George Orwell.  I have read this in English more than once and loved it but found the French incredibly hard. I often finished a whole page without really understanding what had been written and I only got to the end as I knew the story enough to carry me through.  It was a couple of years ago so maybe I should try it again.

1984 - George Orwell.  This wasn't nearly as hard as Animal Farm but still proved challenging.

Around The World in 80 Days - Jules Verne.  Older son read this in second year secondary school so I hope he understood more than me.  I did OK but there was plenty I didn't understand, even though I know the story in English.

And finally a French classic:

L'Etrangère - Albert Camus.  I think I understood what was going on but having never read in it English I can't be sure.  It was what I would call an "interesting" read.  Have you read it?

Could you recommend any books for me to read in French?  I did want to Try "The Help" but worried that the deep south accent may make it hard.

 

Normandy farm cider in the making

Posted by Rosie

One of the things Normandy is famous for is its apple orchards and cider.  Both my two recent Silent Sunday pictures have been apple/cider related - the first was bags of cider apples that our neighbouring farmer had picked and put ready for the mobile press to come and abstract the juice.  The second was the juice being abstracted.  Not everyone worked out what was either in the bags nor what was dripped from the press so I thought  it might be nice to show more of this very Normandy of processes.

Making Normandy Cider

1.  Apples waiting to be juiced:

2.  The farmer tipping the apples into a hopper before they head into the press to be chopped:

 3.  The whole apple goes in and it doesn't seem to matter if some are mouldy or damaged:

4.  The mobile press - apples go in on the left, up through machine where they are pulped and sent back down through the central chute:

5.  Apple pulp falling from the central chute:

6.  Two men work below the chute as the pulp needs to be placed in a series of special boards, frames and sacking.

7.  The men build up the slatted boards to which a frame and hessian sheet is added before the pulp falls in.  Once the frame is full the hessian is wrapped over the pulp and another board, frame and layer of hessian is added.

8.  The weight of the boards and pulp are used to press the juice out of the pulp which drips into a tray:

9.  The juice drains out of the tray through a filter to remove any last bits of pulp before being pumped into what-ever container the owner wants to store his juice in before turning it into cider:

This cider is purely made for the farmer and his family to drink over the coming year and will be bottles in anonymous green bottles (used year after year) and which are strong enough to withstand the fizz that will build up.   I would love to make our own cider but we must have bought the only property in Normandy that didn't have it's own apple orchard. However cider is the drink of Normandy and there is plenty for sale locally where you can chose from small artisans producers up to larger commercial brands.  You will find the taste varies greatly depending on what you buy - brut (dry) or doux (sweet), more or less fizz, clear or cloudy and even rosé.  Cider is also be distilled to make Calvados which gives the name to the department in France where we live and mixed with Calvados it makes pommeau.  This literally means apple water and no doubt based on the fact that the word for spirits in France is Eau de Vie (water of life). But do not get this more alcoholic drink confused with poiré which is pear cider which is also produced in Normandy.

Do you like cider?  I do, but then I am called Rosie so I should, shouldn't I?!  Everyone who visits the gite gets a bottle of Normandy cider in their welcome box and it almost always gets drunk!

Have you ever made your own cider?  If you have please do let us know your recipe as I believe you can make cider from bought juice and I really want to make some.  Cheers!