News and Vintage Pictures of Daglan

Our News

My health scare last Friday morning is our latest news. I had been ill for a few days prior to this, however, the ‘111’ NHS Choices operator summoning an ambulance to take me to hospital for a check up, just to be sure that it was not a stroke or brain tumour came has quite a surprise. So much so that I really thought that this was it, ‘the end is nigh’, “for whom the bell tolls”, type of thing. However, the good news was that I was fine, just a really nasty “bug” going around the coastal area where we live. I know that it is cheesy to say, but it does put life into perspective, I eat healthily and am not over weight, exercise everyday but it will happen one day.

Enough of my morbid news, on a more positive note, let’s focus onto our move to France with; a few helpful news items.

New High Speed Train Service

Plans to build a new high-speed train line in the South West of France have caused concern among winemakers. The new line would connect Bordeaux with Dax and would run through the Ciron valley, close to where Sauternes wine is produced. Winemakers believe it would be a “death sentence” for the famous Sauternes vintages, such as Chateau d’Yquem, as the line would disturb the unique microclimate which allows the wine to be produced. Let me know what you think! I personally am looking forward to a high-speed train linking Bordeaux to Paris, (all those shops, museums and markets to see and enjoy) it should only be a two hour train journey and work should be completed in 2017.

We used to have a train service from Daglan to Sarlat, bring it back please.

 

Speed Limits on the Roads

The speed limit on some of Frances most dangerous departmental roads is set to be cut from 90kph to 80kph in a two year trial. The reductions will apply to roads that are considered to be accidental black spots, based on recent accidental statistics. However the safe driving campaign group La Ligue Contre La Violence Routiere has argued that the speed limit should be applied to all departmental roads.

I also wish that the old tree was still there in the square, it looks magnificent.

 

Good News for Energy Savings

In an attempt to encourage more property owners to carry out energy-saving renovation work on their property, the French government has tired to simplify the numerous benefits and tax incentives that are available. Also, it was necessary to carry out several different types of improvements work in order to qualify, but now just one is sufficient. Work that is eligible includes roof and wall insulation, and the use of renewable energy sources to produce hot water.

Our home is to the left of the picture with the steps leading up to the balcony, what a shame that they were taken down.

 

To Finish

Some very excellent personal news, our son Adam has passed his driving test, first time, we are planning various places to visit; Lancaster Castle, Stream Train Museum and places of natural beauty-awesome.

 

Images… http://www.daglan.fr/

 

New artisan Shop in Daglan. At Le Thé Vert

On the right hand side of one of our favourite cafés in Daglan is a new artisan shop, selling paintings, pottery, ornaments, jewellery, scarf’s, tea, coffee and our son Adams book, (only 99p on Kindle, link here ) Just had to put that in.

Lunch outside in the sunshine, what a treat.

So after a good lunch one day last year we had a wander around the boutique shop and had a chat with the owner who is very friendly and informative about the local news.

Buy your tea or coffee here or a present for your home or family.

Baby clothes etc made by local people.

I took a fancy to the tea set above.

Le Thé Vert
Open 1st May to 30th September, 10:00 to 18:00
Closed Wednesday.

Out with the old and in with the new – well almost!

Firstly, just a few words concerning the tragic loss of life last week in France. My condolences to every culture, we are all human beings; the criminal act of a few should not alter this.

---

January

As the saying goes – in January we cast out the old and welcome in the new. It is a time of reflection on events of the previous year and resolve and plan for the future.

This year is all about change for us, we have been working towards our move to France since about 1998 and now we are nearly there it seems unreal somehow. We plan to move in September but it could take longer, it all depends on the sale of our property in England.

However, first things first, looking back over the previous year we have completed most of the tasks for our move to France, which is great. We only need to make our home more friendly for our two cats. The balcony needs to be more cat proof and we need a door for the boiler room for their safety. The completion of the kitchen-cupboard doors etc. Also, if we have time, a few floor boards in the attic would be nice for storage purposes. So with this in mind I think that a month by month plan would be best.

So the plan for January is:-

1 Budget for the move to France: e.g. removal firm, insurance, transportation of the pets and ourselves. Also, what we will need to buy when we get there: bedroom furniture, fridge and freezer etc

2 The sale of our property – ongoing

3 The restoration of our dinning room chairs, my next task which can be completed here in the UK

4 For the “blog”- New and old places of interest, restoration and the ups and downs of moving- ongoing each month

---

Out with the old, does not apply to Monpazier, I think that it will always be one of our favourite places to visit where we can guarantee we will always find something old or new of interest.

Magnificent Monpazier, the architecture alone is worth a visit. However, they also have boutiques, antiques, and of course a market every Thursdays morning which is very extensive in the summer months; selling everything from cheese to linen.

Monpazier

Get there for about ten in the morning for everything to be open but remember that the stalls and shops start to close for lunch at about twelve, for two or three hours.

The deserted market square.

Closed for lunch

There are many restaurants, brasseries and bistros in Monpazier we have only tried four of them, all excellent.

Our tree did look bigger in the shop!

This is our “Hobbit” tree; it did look a lot bigger standing proudly outside the shop! Phoebe, one of our cats, ran every morning to the tree for her presents, and every morning I said, “Not yet”, and she would put her head down and sulk away. I felt so sorry for her that I gave her cat teats, she has got me trained!

The angle looks enormous but we liked our petit tree

This is Phoebe guarding her presents from Angel.

The wait was worth it.

And Angel prefers the wrapping paper anyway

Angel.

---

French News

Domestic animals in France are no longer viewed as “furniture” but living beings. The French Parliament voted in favour of making changes to the 200 year old Napoleonic civil code, which gave pets and farm animals the same status as an armchair!