Living in the Orne – the first year

We’ve been living in France now for over a year and I thought it might interest people to see what we’ve accomplished in our first year or so as residents in the Orne. Not as much as some people, I’m sure, but it’s kept us busy. I’ve also added some tips: things we didn’t think about too much first and could have done more quickly, or better, if we had! Remember, we were townies, to all intents and purposes, so it was a massive learning curve in some areas. So, in no particular order, here are some of our, dare I say it, achievements:

• turned our half acre meadow into a garden, (an on-going project) creating flower beds and vegetable plot (TIP, in hindsight, it would have been easier to mow the ground for a couple of years first. New flower beds in the ‘lawn’, have been easier to clear and to keep freer of weeds.)
• cut down some trees (note to self to remind H to do this sort of thing before planting new trees, shrubs, flower beds, etc.)
• built shed, - cost a fortune – probably would have been cheaper to buy one from the brico, though wouldn’t have double-glazing! (TIP, factor into your set up costs any outbuildings, sheds,  storage areas for wood, etc. you will want.)
• built raised beds for vegetables (again an unbudgeted-for item)
• bought mower and strimmers (another TIP, check what the local dealers are selling as not everything bought in the UK is easy to get fixed here, and buy from specialists, might be a bit more expensive but probably cheaper in the long run, and if you buy locally, you know you can get service and help if you need it)
• oh, yes, before I forget, built an extension (large family kitchen) should be finished soon …

What do you regard as your achievements over your first year or so of living in France? Have you any tips for newcomers to the Orne? Do share.

Summer Vide-greniers in the Orne

The rain held off for most of Sunday, the first day of June, and the vide-greniers at La Ferrière-aux-Etangs, with its large number of stalls, was well attended as a result.

The number of British people running stalls at vide-greniers seems to be growing. Looking at what was on offer on Sunday, it seems like a good way to get rid of books and DVDs, among other items. All these stalls attracted Brits, probably like us, looking for something ‘new’ to read, in English!

The stalls were the usual eclectic mix of old and new things, including clothing and shoes, various items of household and garden equipment (some of it looking as though it had just been picked up from where it was lying and taken along) books, CDs and DVDs. It seemed to me, that there were a greater number of ‘large’ stalls, but that may just be that this was a bigger venue than I’ve been to recently.

While we were there, admittedly around lunchtime, the food stalls were doing great business in the French equivalent of sausage in a bun, with mustard and ketchup, and chips. The restaurants and both boulangeries were being kept busy, too. We sat and had coffee, watching chefs and waitstaff dashing around, trying to keep up with the requests.

The ‘Calendrier des Brocantes 2008′, suggests that the rest of June, especially on Sundays, will be just as busy throughout the Orne. Let’s hope for the weather to keep improving. Somehow, everything looks better in the sunshine! 

Lessons to learn

Those of you who are kind enough to check in occasionally will have noticed my absence for the last week or so. Those of you living in the Orne will probably remember the thunder and lightning of last Tuesday. The two things are connected.

Lessons I need to learn (actually have learned- it’s too expensive not to!) – in a thunderstorm: one, turn off the computer, completely and quickly, and two, unplug the telephone.

Yes, I know. I should have been aware of this. Well, I was, sort of, but we’d never had a storm like it before or one that came on so quickly. If the meteo is correct, there are more storms forecast, so, please, take warning from my ‘mishap’.

The modem suffered fatal damage. Thanks to my provider, a new one arrived two days later but, when we connected it up, we realised that the computer was also damaged.

By this time, it was already late on Friday and, when I called the technician, he said he couldn’t come out until Wednesday afternoon!  

All is now well. In fact, the computer hasn’t run so smoothly for ages, so something good came out of the event.

I’m still trying to catch up and hope to be back to posting regularly soon.

Orne’s Hidden Treasures – Le Conservatoire des temps jadis

We are experiencing some lovely weather at the moment here in Basse Normandie. It makes one want to get out and about in this lovely area we call home. Here, as promised, is the latest in the series of ‘Orne’s Hidden Treasures’. Rp has been exploring somewhere interesting to take the children, or grandchildren, when they come to visit. He tells us about his latest discovery.

It has been my experience that taking small children on a visit to a large zoo is a complete waste of time and effort.

The children have seen all the animals and birds on the television and their interest wanes after no more than half an hour. Thereafter, they only have two concerns – ‘Where is the café?’ and ‘Is the gift shop open?’

It can also turn out to be very expensive when there is a large family group. What you need is something on a much smaller (and cheaper!) scale. I have found just such a place in the Orne.

‘Le Conservatoire des temps jadis’ (The Conservatory of Times Past) is a small farm which is dedicated to preserving ancient and rare breeds of poultry. There are over 30 different types of chickens, hens and cockerels, including many with wonderful names – Yokohama, Hambourg, Hollandaise and Padoue.

Perhaps the most striking of all is the Sebright. It is the only bird named after an individual, Sir John Sebright (1767-1846), the seventh baronet and MP for Hertfordshire, who bred it. What distinguishes it in the collection is that its feathers are so arranged that they appear to be covered by a spider’s web.

My particular favourite is the Orpington, developed in the late 1800s by Willam Cook, who named it after his home town in Kent. The original birds were black but I liked the ones at the farm because of their gorgeous, golden brown honey colour.

There are also peacocks and turkeys, including the oldest American turkey breed, the Narrangansett, originally from Rhode Island. And no French farm would be complete without an example of La Gauloise dorée, the oldest cockerel breed in France, and now its national emblem.

On the farm there are also lots of rabbits, ducks, geese, sheep (which escaped from their pen during our visit!) goats and pigs.

The birds and animals do not roam free but they are very accessible to all visitors, young and old.

Look out for the plaques dotted around, for the children, which ask simple questions (the answers are there, too) but beware, the questions and answers are in French!

There are also a few games for the children such as hopscotch and croquet.

After wandering around the farm, make your way down the steps and walk along by the stream. You will arrive at a small picnic area where there are tables and a couple of swings.

The farm is quite hilly and, I would suggest, is not wheel-chair accessible, though you should have no problems with a baby-buggy.

The cost is 4 Euros 80 per adult and 3 Euros 80 per child, which makes it very good value for money, in my opinion.

The farm is open weekend afternoons, until July and August, when the only day it is closed is Monday.

The farm is a quiet place – the only sounds you can hear are cockerels giving it their all and squeals of delight from the children.

There is no gift shop – but, not surprisingly, you can buy eggs! 

 

Directions (RP has given directions but if you are coming from further afield, you might want to check the farm’s website here for details of opening times, directions, and a photographic taste of what you can expect to see when you visit. The site is in French but very easy to navigate.)

Take the D908 from Carrouges towards Sees and turn right onto the D2 (signposted Chahains and Rouperoux). Turn left onto the D226 to Fontenay-Les-Louvets. In the centre of the village, turn left onto the D204. Le Pouillolet is on your right and there is a small car park on your left, opposite the entry to the farm.

For the sophisticates amongst you who have GPS – the farm is Latitude 48.53617 … Longitude 0.006463.

Bonne Anniversaire Red Hatters Everywhere

Do you remember your tenth birthday party? If you’re anything like me, you don’t, unless it was especially memorable in some way. However, the tenth birthday parties being celebrated around the world today by many thousands of women ‘of a certain age’  will be long remembered, as they continue to live their lives in the spirit of ‘fun and friendship, freedom and fulfilment’.  

Today is the 10th birthday of the Red Hat Society, which began in the United States, when a small group of women met to take tea, dressed in the now familiar purple outfits and red hats. Their intention to enjoy life to the fullest has been embraced by many thousands of women, not only in the US but around the world, even in our little corner of France.

Sue, the founder of the Normandy chapter, based in Domfront in the Orne, told me how she first became aware of the Red Hatters and why she chose to start a chapter here.  

The first I ever heard about the Red Hat Society was while I was on the way to New York on board the QM2 in 2004. It was the evening of the Royal Ascot ball and I happened to have chosen to wear a red hat for the occasion. An American lady came up to me and asked whether I was a Red Hatter? Being London born and bred, I knew the old expression ‘red hat no drawers’, so I looked rather puzzled and said, ‘No’.

Once we arrived in the US, I began to see Red Hat merchandise in many of the shops we visited. On my return I got online and found out more about the RHS and found I could join as an online member. That was my first step. I was then invited to join a group called the Purple Princesses of Poole, near where I used to live, and I started attending their gatherings. 

I realised that setting up a chapter in France would be a great way of getting to know people. I was going to be spending much of my time here and was keen to make new friends as soon as possible. I put a message on Anglo Info just to test the water. I had a great response and heard from about 30 women within a matter of days. So I registered the Red ExpHat Society in February 2005 and let all the interested ladies know we were ‘in business’.

Sue went on to say that the women who were initially interested in joining came from all over Basse Normandie.  Many of them didn’t want to travel too far, so the half dozen or so who lived within easy reach of Domfront, became the founding members of the chapter. Sue explained some of the benefits she believes members gain from being Red Hatters here.

It can be great fun and I have certainly achieved the objective of making new friends. Many of the members have also thanked me for introducing them to people who live very close to them but they had never met. Some very close friendships have come out of this little group.

Although we are in no way a business group, I know that many people find it an ideal place to network, and we certainly all try to help each other out with untangling the French red tape. Partners of members have made friends, indirectly, through red hatting, too.

I asked Sue about the membership of the group. As founder of the group she is the Queen, a Red Hat tradition, and she has her vice-queen, known in this chapter as the Snow Queen of Vice. Six of the founding members, are now honorary queens, in recognition of their loyal support.  Sue went on to tell me:

The group is currently around twenty strong. This is an ideal number and I do not promote membership nowadays. We are still on Anglo Info in their social group listings and occasionally we get ourselves into the newspapers and I get phone calls from people who are interested in knowing more about us. A new  member found us recently on the ‘what to do in La Ferté Macé’  website, although I have never approached them – so our reputation is spreading!

All the women in the Orne chapter are expats, though some have lived here for some time. Most are now retired but going out in friendship groups is a familiar concept to them. I wondered if Sue had ever tried to interest french women in joining. I asked her if cultural differences, the french still prefer to socialise in family groups, and the language made it difficult.

I would love to have French ladies in the chapter. I was told some time ago that French women do not go out in groups of women. They prefer to go out with men! When we appeared in the ‘Publicator Libre‘, my French neighbours were very excited. One said she thought we looked like great fun, but the other said she thought we were ‘frightening’ and we would all speak English. They are both very much older than the average age in our group.

Some of the French ladies who go to the Groupe Franglais are more of our age group, and they like to practise their English, so I am working on them! I have suggested that we include an afternoon tea in the programme where everyone tries to bring along a French guest to see how it goes.

Finally, I asked Sue about what she would like to see happening in France for Red Hatters. She told me that she would like to help other chapters to get started here and she would like to see a European Red Hat Society convention held in Paris. She says:

 I think it is such an easy and inexpensive place for the UK, Dutch and German chapters to get to, the Americans and Canadians would love Paris, and I think we would look such a wow at the Moulin Rouge! 

What a picture that conjures up! Bonne Anniversaire to the Orne chapter and Red Hatters everywhere!

Orne’s Hidden Treasures – La Tour de Bonvouloir

This is the second article in the series, ’Orne’s Hidden Treasures’. Many thanks to GW for the photographs. Look out for an article, focussing on something especially for the children, coming shortly.

 

In Basse-Normandie, between the tiny village of Juvigny-sous-Andaines (about seven kilometres from Bagnoles de l’Orne) and Bagnoles de l’Orne itself, you will find La Tour de Bonvouloir. Steeped in both historical fact and misty legend (aren’t all the best places?) if the sight doesn’t raise a ‘Wow!‘ as you drive between the hedges at the entrance, I’ll be very surprised. Frankly, no photograph can do it justice.

Originally, the tower was part of a chateau built by Guyon Essirard at the end of the fifteenth century, on land gifted to him by René, Duc d’Alençon as a sign of the Duke’s ‘goodwill‘, hence the name, Bonvouloir. The high, thin tower (also known as a phare) stands atop an open area which was formerly the huge courtyard. Featuring a cloche roof, cornicing and a stone staircase, La Tour de Bonvouloir is still an amazing sight, situated as it is in the quiet Orne countryside.  

                                     

All that remains today of the original chateau (partially destroyed during the revolution) are the tower itself and the smaller, wider tower to which it is attached, a pigeonier and a well. In spite of the absence of stonework, you can still get an impression of ramparts from the earth banks surrounding the site.                              

                               

 

                              

There is also a small house with the date 1658? carved into the lintel, perhaps originally the chapel which was a seventeenth century addition. During the same century, the ’chateau’ became a farm. 

                                

Why the tower takes the form it does, is the stuff of legend. You will find the story recounted in many places, including the history of the spa in Bagnoles de l’Orne. The legend is that the master of La Tour de Bonvouloir, being married to a young woman and unable to produce an heir, bathed in the waters at Bagnoles de l’Orne. Some time afterwards his wife presented him with a son. He built the tower in gratitude for the return of his youth and vigour.                              

                              

Today, the site is free to visit and an ideal spot at which to picnic and walk. Even from ground level, there is a great view of the surrounding countryside. While you are there, you could pick up a leaflet with details of locally produced, regional products and where to find the producer and add another interesting place to your list for visiting in this lovely and productive region.

 

Give your family a treat during your stay in the Orne, or even elsewhere in Basse-Normandie, this summer by visiting a site of both archaeological importance and scenic beauty. You won’t be disappointed.  

 

A final note. La Tour de Bonvouloir is also the first stop on the suggested tourist route of 25 kms through the forest of Andaines (Circuit 7).

 

Orne Archeology

Are you an avid watcher of Tony Robinson and ‘Time Team’? Then, like me, you may be interested in an exhibition of archeological finds in the Orne over the last 250 years or so. I first read about it when it was in Alençon and was interested to note that it was to come to Flers in April.

The exhibition, called ‘Exposition Arché-Orne’, is being held at the museum in the château at Flers (the château itself is worth a look, if you’ve not been there) until the end of August. The exhibition, according to the accounts I’ve read, covers 50,000 years of human occupation in the Orne region. As this is where some of us now live or have second homes, it behooves (isn’t that a lovely word) us to know something about the historical past of our region.

I plan to visit soon, given the variable nature of our weather at the moment it’s nice to have somewhere to go under cover, and will update this post when I have. If anyone else has already done so, I’d love to have you comment.

Wandering about the Orne

                   

One glorious Sunday recently, we decided to go for a drive. We started out in search of a particular church, but with only the vaguest of notions about where it was, we just followed the road and enjoyed the scenery.

The Orne is full of wonderful views, especially the area known as the Suisse Normande, on the edge of which we are lucky to live. From Briouze, we headed out through St André de Briouze and then followed the road towards Putanges Pont d’Ecripin.

We continued on through narrow winding roads, passing tiny hamlets, some of them very pretty, until we dropped down into the valley through which the Orne River runs. I’d forgotten just what a large river it is. I’m used to seeing it from the bridge at Putanges, where it meanders gently. We crossed the bridge near the Rabodanges barrage , and parked on the other side of the river to enjoy the view. Breathtaking.

Crossing back over the river, we took the road towards the Roche d’Oetre. Wending our way through more picture postcard villages, we finally arrived at the visitor centre at Roche d’Oetre. Now I know where so many French people go on Sunday afternoons – the carpark was full.  After stopping at the restaurant for a coffee, which we drank sitting outside as the sun was so lovely, we walked up to the lookout point above the restaurant. The views down into the valley (over a hundred metres) are amazing, though not for the faint hearted.

Leaving the Roche d’Oetre, we headed towards home on another road, through Sègrie-Fontaine, which took us down into the valley. As we dropped down towards the river, (La Rouvre) we passed through more wonderful scenery. I recall seeing a sign for, I think, ‘Maison de la Riviere’. We didn’t stop but afterwards wished we had, as I’ve read since that many activities associated with the river and the natural surroundings take place there, as they do elsewhere in the Suisse Normande. 

The Orne and the Rouvre rivers are famous for canoeing and kayaking activities and there are many places where you can walk along the riverbanks. Now that the weather looks as though it may be starting to warm up, the weekend’s snow not withstanding, it’s time to start planning some outdoor activities.

A brief list of websites giving information about this area can be found here . They are mostly in French, (could help improve your language skills) but fairly easy to navigate and follow. Hope to see you out and about in the Orne this summer.

‘Antiques and collectables’ – where to find them in the Orne

If you feel like a trip out at the weekend to a vides-greniers or suchlike in the Orne, look here for some information. It hasn’t been particularly pleasant for these events in recent weeks, in our part of Basse Normandie at least, but the weather looks as though it might be improving.

My friend (the one who is very fond of rummaging around at vide-greniers) and I visited Champsecret the weekend before last. We went to this event last year and had to take sunhats. The streets were full of people and there was a great buzz about the village. This year it was umbrellas, only a few hardy souls had stalls (mostly covered with large pieces of plastic sheeting) and there were few people about. Such a shame when it is a yearly event. The weather was so dismal last weekend, we didn’t even attempt to go to La Ferrière aux Etangs, which, according to our neighbours, has been great fun in previous years.

Still, the number of such events is building each week, so let’s hope the weather improves as well. Do visit, if you can.

Update – the Painted Church of Menil Gondouin

The recent article on the painted church of Menil Gondouin has received a couple of comments which have provided additional information about the restoration of the church. My guest, RP, has sent me the following:

Thanks for all the informative comments. For anyone who is interested, I read in ‘Ouest France’, today that a film of the restoration will be shown in the church at 20h 30 this Friday, 4 April, 2008. Helpfully, the short article says the church will be ‘heated’. Cheers, RP