British Association of the Var
Putting people and social needs together since 1998
July 2012
Newsletter
Association loi 1901
www.baofthevar.com
No 122
Queen’s Jubilee Lunch and Royal Quiz
It is nearly a month now since the
‘celebration of the year’ – the Jubilee
Lunch, sponsored by Barclays Bank, and we
are delighted with the number of people
who attended (55).
Thankfully due to the organisation the event went off without
interference from the weather which had been appalling
throughout May and had been threatening during the morning. In
the end it was a beautiful day and the Restaurant du Lac was in a
perfect setting overlooking the lake and the Roquebrune hill itself.
The restaurant was festooned with garlands and flags to the
amusement of the other 50 or so French who were eating in a
neighbouring section. Party Poppers were also heard to be
exploding in all directions. The excellent lunch was followed by a
raffle with a superb choice of quality prizes generously provided
by Barclays Bank and 3 prizes of cases of wine provided by
Lindsay Phillips. The Barclays prize was surprisingly won by
Lindsay Phillips himself who selected the coffee maker. Two of
the cases of wine were won by Colin and Sandra Bingham-Wallis
and a further case by David and Marie-France Parkes.
We then held an extremely entertaining and challenging Quiz managed by our ‘in-house’
quizmaster Mike Milner; this was won by Teresa Watson, Pat, Ian and Ann Powell with
an incredible 46 out of 50 points. The team then kindly donated the prize money to the
Welfare Fund.
I would add that it was the subject of considerable deliberation by the Committee as to
whether or not to hold the event as a picnic as for the Jubilee in 2002 for the Golden
Jubilee but due to the Aups picnic being cancelled or re-located at short notice on several occasions over the
last few years, due to inclement weather, it was decided to opt for a restaurant with cover as protection in the
event that it was excessively hot or in case it rained. In addition, the picnic entails considerable work from a
diminishing band of volunteers in moving tables and chairs and cooking and the use of a restaurant enabled the
‘cookies’ to have a rest and participate.
We were particularly delighted with the extensive coverage by the Var Matin which followed a few days later
and the fact that the event raised nearly 780€ for the Welfare Fund.
Association W831001750
Forthcoming Events
for your diary
July
Lunch with a Financial Digestive
Thursday 5 July – Les Arcs
Committee Meeting
Monday 16 July
Painting Group
Contact: ********@orange.fr
Neighbourhood Networks
Please see page 3
Digital Photography Group
Contact: *******@yahoo.co.uk
Happy Boules
August
Contact: *********@hotmail.com
Coffee Morning &
Finance Clinic and Book Sale
13 July, Lorgues - Fête Nationale
22h00 Fireworks 22h15 Ball
19 July, Draguignan – Abbastars
21h30 Espace Chabran
2 August, Le Muy - Les Estivales de Var Matin
Spectacles, chants Centre ville 21h00
04 93 18 27 40
June to November, Le Thoronet Abbey – Gregorian
Chant http://thoronet.monumentsnationaux.fr
CAD Vocal Concerts:
11 July, Tourtour - “Lumières”, Jaques Loussier
22 July, Bagnols-en-Foret - “Messiah”, Handel
http://www.ensemblecadvocal.fr/
Académie Musicale De Villecroze:
FREE concerts are held in the former Chapelle
Sainte Victor. www.academie-villecroze.com
6 July, Musique de Chambre pour Instruments
à Vent, Philippe Bernold
Thursday 9 August - Villacroze
Entrecasteaux Castle &
Lakeside Gourmet Lunch
September
Reminder!
Thursday 16 August
A Lunch with a Financial Digestive
hosted by The deVere Group
Vendange Lunch
“Wealth Retention in
Taxing Times”
Saturday 15 September - Lorgues
www.baofthevar.com
Also see Forthcoming Events
and Latest News on our BAV website
Lunch on 5 July at midday
Café De La Tour - Les Arcs sur Argens
Menu 10 €
Civet de Porc
or
Salade Niçoise
(dessert and wine extra)
Followed by an informal presentation and
discussion by Paul Howard of the deVere Group
Les festes du Castrum d’Arcus
aux Arcs sur Argens
On 6, 7, 8 and 9 July Les Arcs-sur-Argens will
host the bi-annual medieval spectacular
postponed from 2011 due to the disastrous floods
which swept through the town in June 2010.
“What’s On”
6 July, Entrecasteaux - Jazz concert at Chateau du
Grand Jas, 20h00. Book at Tourist Office
7 July, Lorgues - Bal Populaire with Mephisto
21h30 in Place Trussy
10 July, Juan-les-Pins - Reggae Festival and
12-22 July, Juan-les-Pins - Jazz Festival, Le
Pinède www.antibesjuanlespins.com
13 July, Le Muy - Défilé: Parvis de l'Hôtel de Ville –
FêteNationale 22h00-02h00 Grand bal:
Parking de la République 04 94 19 84 24
Page 2
For 4 days the little town recreates its medieval
past welcoming Knights, Ladies, Troubadours and
Chevaliers, together with medieval market, camp
and engines of war. Each day begins with a
procession through the streets and ends at 21h00
with a show staged in the newly refurbished
Theatre du Real.
The spectacular is well worth a visit and is
popular with both children and adults; it will be
well publicised nearer the time.
New Members
A big welcome to four new members - Trevor and
Cecilia Turner from Puget-sur-Argens, and Dyfrig
and Gleshi James from Montauroux.
_______________________________________________________
NEIGHBOURHOOD NETWORKS
Cabasse, Carces, Correns, Cotignac,
and Le Val
There will be no network meetings in July or
August.
Michael Wharton
07 ******** ********@cam.ac.uk
Grimaud/Cogolin
There will be no meetings in Grimaud in July and
August, as parking gets more difficult, but we will
still meet at Brasserie Leclerc in Cogolin on 24 July
and 28 August at 10h30-11h50.
Pat Heal
04 ******** ********@vol.lu
La Motte and Le Muy
We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month (10
July) at Bar des Cascades in La Motte at 10h00.
Alexandra Lewis-Smith
04 ******** ********@bbox.fr
Les Arcs, Le Luc, Taradeau and Vidauban
We meet on the 2nd Friday of the month at the
Café de la Tour, Les Arcs at 10h30 till noon.
Jim North 04 ******* *******@wanadoo.fr
Coffee Morning
Finance Clinic and Book Sale
10h00 – 12h00
Thursday 9 August
Cost €5
Members are invited to the home of Ann and
Maurice Mitchem for a Coffee Morning with
Simon Eveleigh of Siddalls in attendance to offer a
private finance clinic to those who have financial
issues that they wish to discuss in confidence.
Please see below for details of Siddalls.
Please telephone Ann 04 ******** to confirm
your attendance, before 6 August. Sorry, dogs
cannot be accepted.
Directions: From Draguignan, take D557 to
Flayosc and Salernes. ********.
From Salernes take the D560 to Draguignan.
*******:
********, 83690 Villecroze
Bring & Share Lunch - Tavernes
We are happy to report that 135.60€ was raised
at this event for the Welfare Fund. Again, many
thanks to hosts, Jane and Terry Joyce.
Les Issambres
We meet every other Tuesday at 11h00 at L'Arpillon
café next to Casino.
Richard Tolaini
04 ******* or 06 ******** *******@aol.com
Roquebrune-sur-Argens - Village & La
Bouverie
We meet at the L’Auberge d’Argens on the 1st
Tuesday of each month at 10h30-12h00. Next
meeting - Tuesday 3 July.
Lesley Honeywell
04 ******* *******@wanadoo.fr
St Raphael & Frejus
I am going to cancel our network coffee meetings
until the last Friday of September, 28th. The
meeting will be at my house. Please ring for
directions:
Diane Jenkins
04 ******* ******* @wanadoo.fr
Villecroze, Salernes, Tourtour and
Entrecasteaux
We meet on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 10h30
at the bar Cercle de l'Avenir in Villecroze. Please
check the venue; we may rotate to another village.
Ann & Maurice Mitchem
04 ******** ********@hotmail.com
Page 3
Guided Tour Château
d’Entrecasteaux and Lakeside
Gourmet Lunch
34€ (7€ chateau and 27€ lunch)
There’s nothing fishy about this gastronomic lunch
with a difference!
On the Thursday 16 August we are arranging
for a group to go around the fascinating Chateau
at Entrecasteaux at 11h00 prompt followed by a
lunch at 12h30 at the Trout Lake about 3km west
of Entrecasteaux towards Carces.
Chairman’s Notes
Firstly you hopefully noticed that last month’s
Newsletter had an additional 2 pages due to the
amount of information provided. If you did not see
this please look back at your emailed copy and click
on ‘Newsletter Supplement’. If however you receive
your Newsletter by post, La Poste unfortunately lost
them and we endeavoured to contact those affected
and send emailed copies in place. However, the lost
mail has been found and re-sent so you should have
them by now.
The chateau not only occupies a commanding
position overlooking the village but also over the
valley including the grounds of Entrecasteaux
cricket club. The private guided tour is usually
carried out by the owner of the Chateau who
shows several of the rooms and dungeons and
illustrates the interesting and fascinating history
of the chateau.
We were pleased to see the extensive coverage of
the Jubilee Lunch by the Var Matin which varied
from area to area but was extremely good publicity
for the BAV. Barclays Bank were also pleased with
the event and the organisation and have offered to
work with us again. I hope that those of you who
attended enjoyed it and a big thank you from me to
all who assisted in organising the event.
This will be followed by a gourmet lunch at the
Trout Lake. Do not be put off by the sign which
says “Buvette” or “Snack” because the chef is
surprisingly good and you are able to enjoy your
food in peaceful surroundings overlooking the
trout lake. You can even pay to go fishing for the
afternoon.
Many thanks also to Peter and Shirley Rowson and
their Neighbourhood Network for the Summer
Soirée held at their home on 13 June details of
which are elsewhere in this Newsletter. The Boules
Competition was entered by a record 46 attendees
and I was embarrassed to find myself in the
winning team.
Please note that you may opt to go to either the
chateau tour or the lunch but we highly
recommend that you don’t miss the lunch! Places
are limited so please book as early as possible
and not later than 30 July. The booking form is
with this newsletter.
Menu
Gambas à l’ail et
aux persil flambées aux cognac
***
Entrecôte aux cêpes à la creme
avec ses legumes
***
Assortiment de 3 fromages
et son miel d’acacia
***
Profiteroles au chocolat et ses fruits frais
***
Vin et café compris
Directions
In the centre of Entrecasteaux, park in the car
park just next to, and below, the main road
beneath the chateau. The entrance to the chateau
is on the southern side up a cobbled side street
past Bistro Gourmand. To get to the trout lake
take the road towards Carces to the south of the
village. After 3 km there is a pronounced bend in
the road to the left and a sign on the left saying
‘trout lake’. Take that road along a track for
several hundred metres and just keep going
straight until the road opens out into a car park
with the trout lake on the right.
Page 4
To complete the changes to the Committee I am
particularly sad to report that it is Shirley
Wrigglesworth's intention to resign from the
Committee although she is intending to continue
her work with the book sales with Pauline North.
Shirley has worked tirelessly for the Welfare Fund
for many years and has often worked 'over and
above the call of duty' covering the whole of the Var
and a diverse range of welfare cases. I am sure that
everyone in the Association wishes Shirley the very
best for the future. Hopefully her golf handicap will
now go down!
I am however pleased to say that Ian (Angus)
Mackintosh of Entrecasteaux has offered to be coopted on to the Committee and attended his first
Committee meeting on 18 June. We look forward to
his valued contribution.
I hope that after the variable weather and relatively
low temperatures you have a wonderful summer
season, and safe travelling to those venturing away
from the area or indeed visiting here.
British Association of the Var
Welfare Coordinator
Ann Mitchem
04 ******** or 06 43 86 49 01
[email protected]
Blue Flag beaches in the Var
La Croix Valmer (Gigaro and La Douane)
La Londe des Maures (L’Argentière, Miramar and
Tamaris)
Le Lavandou (Batailler – Poste de Secours,
Batailler Centre, Lavandou ville, Saint Clair, La
Fossette, Cavalière, Aiguebelle and Pramousquier)
Le Pradet (Les Bonnettes, La Garonne, Le Monaco,
Les Oursinières and Le Pin des Galles)
Saint Mandrier sur Mer (La Coudoulière, Plage de
la Vieille, Saint Asile, Touring Club and Le Canon)
Sainte Maxime (Garonette, L’Eléphant, La
Croisette, La Nartelle and Casino/Centre Ville)
Six Fours les Plages (Bonnegrace La Manuella,
Bonnegrace Poste de Secours, Plage du Cros, La
Coudoulière, Les Roches Brunes, Le Rayolet and Les
Charmettes)
Toulon (Anse Mistral, Les Pins Centre, Lido and
Source Ouest)
Summer Soiree & Finger Supper
with Boules Tournament
The 13th June saw the Summer Soirée held at the
home of Peter and Shirley Rowson in La Motte.
There was a large attendance of 67 people around
the pool and 46 boules players in a knock out
competition organised by Rob Flanagan.
The garden was alive with chatter and the cheering
of the boules’ players in surprisingly competitive
games. They ranged from complete novices to
regular players and the games extended well after
dark under flood light. However, the final result was
a win by the Chairman’s team with Trevor Zutshi
and Gill Clark, all of whom received a medal.
The evening was put on by the La Motte/Le Muy
Neighbourhood Network, together with friends from
St John’s church and they provided a delicious array
of food and drink, helped by BAV “Cookies”. Sincere
thanks to all the helpers. The event raised the
fantastic amount of 675€ for the Welfare Fund,
including 75€ from the book sales.
_______________________________________________________
Membership Secretary and
Neighbourhood Networks
Behind any organisation there are un-sung heroes
and it is no different with the BAV. In the best spirit
of the OSCARs I would like to take this opportunity
to thank Tricia Steel for her work and essential
organisational abilities in acting as the little known
Membership Secretary over recent years without
whom you would not receive your Newsletter,
Address Books etc.
Apology
We must apologise to those of you who receive the
Newsletter by post, for the late delivery of the June
issue. This was due to an error by La Poste, and we
hope all have now safely arrived. If you would like
to change to receive your Newsletter by e-mail in
future, please let us know. You need ADSL to be
able to download it.
Tricia has decided that, with family ‘down-under,’
she and Dave are going to spend far more time
down there and she has therefore now resigned
from the position of Membership Secretary.
I am delighted to report that this vacancy has been
filled by Peter Rowson and we look forward to a
smooth transition.
I would also like to thank the local organisers of the
Neighbourhood Networks and hope that these
will continue to grow as they are now an essential
part of the BAV.
Page 5
What is the BSN?
Members of the BAV may find the relationship with
the BSN (Bereavement Support Network of the
Var) confusing. However, the BAV and BSN are
completely separate entities that overlap to some
degree in welfare support.
You may think you don’t need to remember
anything about the BSN, but please take a moment
to jot the details down – it may not be you who
need them in the future, but someone you know.
As the name suggests, BSN is a network of
supporters of the bereaved. It was founded by Dr
Trevor Zutshi and Rev Peter Massey in 2004, when
they both became aware of help needed by people
in the Var. Many couples retire to France and, when
one partner dies, the other is bereft of family, in a
country where they may not speak the language
well and are unsure about what to do.
Trevor wrote some articles on the practical
difficulties of dealing with a death in France, (which
are available from the BSN website), and the BSN
advertised for helpers to join them in supporting the
bereaved.
The BSN has grown a lot from those early days.
Trevor is still an active member. The current
President is Mim Kay, a qualified counselor who acts
as trainer, who was asked by Trevor to join them as
a co-founder member. All supporters are volunteers,
but have one thing in common – they have been
bereaved themselves and know the emotions and
problems faced in the early days. All are required to
undergo an extensive training course with Mim and
have a mentor to work with. The BSN is always
looking for volunteers to help with this important
work. If you feel this is something you could do,
please make contact as shown below.
The BSN supports any English speakers in the Var,
and has helped support people by telephone from
farther afield. Services are free to clients but the
BSN fund-raise for expenses for the supporters’
travel and phone calls, and for costs to outside
speakers who are regularly invited to talk about a
specialist subject. The BSN will support anyone, no
matter for whom he or she is grieving – a spouse, a
partner (of whichever sex), a child, a pet, a friend …
and is secular and non-judgmental. The BSN has
recently broadened its remit to support the
terminally ill and their carers, as this prebereavement situation is every bit as painful as the
actual loss. The BSN works one-to-one with its
clients, and sessions are strictly confidential
between supporter and client.
The BSN’s website is www.bsnvar.org – on which
you can read the Mission Statement and make
contact by email. Alternatively, you can telephone
Sandra on 04 94 84 64 89 or 06 32 35 31 24.
She will always call you back if you leave a message
and a contact number.
Page 6
SOS - BAV needs you!
Many of you will be aware that the BAV has a store
of outdoor tables and chairs for special events such
as the Picnics at Aups and Lorgues. Sadly, due to
the unpredictable June weather of previous years,
the Aups Picnic is now having a rest but the
Vendange Picnic at Lorgues will take place as usual
in September.
You may also know that Michael Milner, along with
his many other BAV responsibilities, used to drive
the hire van and transport and unload this furniture,
with help from a team, at each of these events.
Mike has now taken his well-earned retirement from
BAV affairs, so we need a replacement transport
organiser please, plus offers to be part of the team,
before the next event in September.
We also need a Publicity Officer willing to be on the
committee – training will be given if needed.
If you have enjoyed the BAV events, or benefited
from their Welfare services, please think seriously
about giving something back – your time.
Breathalyser kit (Ethylotest)
A final reminder that from 1 July you need to
carry a pack of two breathalyser test kits in
your car. These are now widely available in
supermarkets for a few euros.
Bastille Day
Many of us will be familiar with the Bastille Day
celebrations on 14 July, as all towns and villages
have their own celebrations, usually involving an
outdoor meal and dancing, followed by fireworks. It
is formally called “La Fête Nationale” and commonly
called “le quatorze juillet”. But how did it originate?
Bastille Day, the French national holiday,
commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which
took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the
beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was
a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary
power of Louis the 16th's Ancient Regime. By
capturing this symbol, the people signalled that the
king's power was no longer absolute: power should
be based on the Nation and be limited by a
separation of powers. Although the Bastille only
held seven prisoners at the time of its capture, the
storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and
the fight against oppression for all French citizens;
like the Tricolore flag, it symbolised the Republic's
three ideals: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity for
all French citizens. It marked the end of absolute
monarchy, the birth of the sovereign Nation,
and, eventually, the creation of the (First) Republic,
in 1792.
Bastille Day was declared the French national
holiday on 6 July 1880, on Benjamin Raspail's
recommendation, when the new Republic was firmly
entrenched. Bastille Day has such a strong
signification for the French because the holiday
symbolises the birth of the Republic.
Var wine harvest threatened
Unusually strong storms with hailstones hit the
central Var region around Brignoles at the end of
May, destroying this summer’s grape crop. After a
dry winter and early spring, wine makers were
already worried about the harvest, but their hopes
were raised with the rain in April and May.
However, this storm resulted in leaves being
slashed, grapes blown off the vine and burst open.
Around 50 wine companies and cooperatives have
been affected, losing between 70 and 100% of their
grapes, and are awaiting the outcome of a
commission to investigate the potential impact on
wine sales in this area of the Var. It has been
estimated that wine stocks up to 2014 will be
affected by the disaster.
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Digital Photography Group
The Digital Photography Group ventured to Le Brusc
in the far west of the Var to seek inspiration in
June. This unspoilt resort near Toulon and the
nearby L’Île des Embiez offered some very varied
views from this part of the Mediterranean coast.
Also known as les Iles Paul Ricard, because of the
association with the famous inventor of the aniseed
flavoured drink, Embiez proved a very rewarding
location for the photographer. Le petit train,
complete with its colourful local guide/driver was
the ideal way to explore the many facets of this
charming island.
For details about the group please contact:
Mike Harper
********@yahoo.co.uk
_______________________________________________________
Mosaic Lessons - Salernes
A very enjoyable morning was spent at Danielle
Jamme's studio in Salernes. Here we learnt the art
of mosaics. There is something inherently satisfying
in cutting up pieces of coloured tile and sticking
them into pleasing shapes. Classes are run over two
mornings and the next class is fully booked.
However, Danielle is happy to run more courses so
if you are interested, please contact:
Danielle
06 ******** ********@hotmail.fr
_______________________________________________________
For next month’s Newsletter
Please let us have your Advertisements, Articles and
Reports for the August issue by
Sunday 15 July
All contributions to: [email protected]
or to Shirley Rowson, ****************
*******, 83920 La Motte.
_______________________________________________________
Newsletter Supplement
We hope you have noticed and read the
Supplement that came with last month’s Newsletter.
As we have more Neighbourhood Networks and
special interest groups, plus other new features, the
Newsletter is very full each month so there is no
room for information articles, therefore we have
decided to produce a Supplement from time to time
when there is enough material to warrant it. For
those of you who receive your Newsletter
electronically, the Supplement is attached to
the end of the Newsletter.
Page 7
Musique Cordiale
The Var and the Seillans area in particular, are
very fortunate in playing host to an amazing
musical event every year in August called
Musique Cordiale. Highly qualified and talented
musicians from the UK – instrumentalists and
choristers – come to Seillans for a “stage”
(workshop) at their own expense, joining some
from the local area, to prepare and present a
series of orchestral, choral and jazz concerts in
local villages between 8 and 18 August. See
www.musique-cordiale.com for all details, and
don’t forget to book in advance as the concerts
are very popular.
The ARK, LORGUES
L’Oasis Christian Fellowship
Every 2nd Sunday at 11h45 at
Arc-en-Provence
1801 Chemin des Pailles
and every 4th Sunday at 11h45 at
Notre Dames des Anges Maison de Retraite
We have a Bring and Share lunch afterwards.
For details or directions
please contact
Rev Peter or Shirley Massey at
04 94 73 93 37 or 06 87 94 04 83
www.arc-en-provence.com/oasis
~~~
St John’s for the Var
St John the Evangelist - Ave Paul Doumer,
St Raphaël - Rev Keith Bretel
Holy Communion is held every Sunday at 10h30
followed by refreshments and a monthly lunch.
Port Grimaud Church
Holy Communion at 17h00
1st Sunday July and August
Grimaud Village Church
1st Thursday of each month at 11h00 except
July and August
Please ring 04 94 60 87 05 for details
www.sjevar.com
~~~
CALLIAN
Le Pradon Anglican Church
Fellowship of the Ascension
You are very welcome to join us in
our new church home at
Le Pradon Maison de Retraite Callian.
We meet on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of
the month at 11h00 for Family Communion
or Morning Prayer (coffee at 10h30)
We also have a Bring and Share lunch afterwards.
Please ring Hilary at 04 94 47 70 67 for details
or visit our website at
www.lepradonanglican.org
Note We appreciate the support of our
advertisers and encourage members to consider
using their services; however, BAV cannot take
responsibility for the quality of goods and
services.
Page 8
Siddalls France has been providing independent
financial advice in France for fifteen years and
has a network of regional advisers across the
country that can provide support and expert
advice on many issues that may affect your
personal finances.
All Siddalls advisers are fully conversant with both
the French and UK fiscal systems and will be able
to identify any problem areas that need to be
addressed and suggest solutions in accordance
with your personal requirements.
Siddalls France is authorised and regulated by the
French authorities. Their bilingual staff provides
up-to-date information and deliver British
standards of trust, loyalty and a supportive ongoing service. All advisers are salaried members
of staff and receive regular training to ensure
they keep up-to-date with the ever changing
rules and regulations.
All advice is in English, as technically difficult
subject matter is usually best understood when it
is presented in the language you are most
comfortable with. Also, as Siddalls’ advisers are
all British citizens resident in France, they
understand the cultural issues you face, as well
as the financial ones.
Siddalls’ representative in South East France is
Simon Eveleigh, who lives in St Maximin-la-StBaume and is a member of the BAV. Simon can
provide you with assistance on:
• Taxation – helping to ensure that your affairs
are structured to help minimise your taxes
• The French inheritance system – strict
French inheritance laws can be a nasty shock if
proper advice is not sought
• Pensions advice and managing money for your
retirement
• Savings and investments
Simon understands that discussing your finances
can sometimes be difficult and the range of
services and products on offer can make the
whole thing very daunting. He will be present at
the Coffee Morning in Villecroze on Thursday 9
August and will be happy to talk with any
members who wish to discuss their finances on
an informal basis.