At Home in Brittany

Breton Dancing Classes

It has been said that in everyone there is a budding Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers waiting to be discovered. So what better way to release this potential than to participate in a bit of Breton dancing, with the added bonus of getting fit? I regret I am no Fred Astaire, but do enjoy having a go and being hurled around the floor by some substantially built Breton farmers wife can be quite exhilarating. 

 

In Brittany nearly every village has a Breton dancing club that meet regularly in the local ‘salle des fêtes’, village hall. The member’s skills range from beginner to professional and newcomers are always welcome. An annual membership fee of around 30 to 40 euros will cover the cost of weekly lessons which usually last about two hours. It is a great way to meet people from the loca l community and get involved in the many dances held throughout the year.

 

Most Breton dances involve step patterns performed as a group and there are similarities with Line Dancing. Dances often involve large groups of people forming a circle linked by their arms or small fingers, stepping in time to the music. The dances are performed to traditional Breton music, produced by a range of musical instruments, many originating from the music’s Celtic origins.

 

The most notable of these instruments is the Bombard; this is a conical-bore double-reed instrument similar to the oboe. It is a "lip reed" instrument, having an exposed double reed played directly in the mouth. The bombard has been in use since the 15th century and is often accompanied by Breton bagpipes. I think it is fair to say that the music may not be to everyone’s taste as it can be rather shrill.

 

Throughout the year regular dances are held in local villages, often during religious festivals and include a picnic style sit-down meal, these are called ‘Fest Noz’. After the meal guests are invited to dance to the accompaniment of a small local music group. It can be great fun and unlike the UK there is no reticence from the attendees to participate in the dancing. I am always amazed at the fitness of the elderly Bretons who can really whirl around the dance floor.

 

Closely associated with Breton dancing are the ‘Cercle Celtique’ groups who are amateur groups who participate in regional Breton dancing competitions throughout the summer months. These groups compete in full Breton costume reflecting the particular region or Celtic connection.

 

Through July and August Brittany comes alive with dance and music festivals, the largest Celtic festival in the world being Lorient's Festival Interceltique. http://www.festival-interceltique.com/index_en.php We attended this with our dance group and have to admit, I was amazed at the numbers of people attending, it was like going to see a major pop group at Wembley.

 

So if you are in Brittany this summer keep an eye open for a fest noz and get the feet moving , you will love every minute.

 

 

Making Friends.

Ignoring the Language Barrier.

The French refer to it as ‘l’insertion’ in the UK it is called ‘integration’ and in spite of the term conjuring up a melting pot of different cultures, religions, race and ethics; in practice it is all about ‘making friends.”

Whether you live in the same society all your life or travel from one continent to another we all come in contact with other people we like or less likely (from my own experience)  dislike. The language may be different, the faces are different, the sights, sounds and smells around you are different, but people still have a need to communicate with other people. Bearing that in mind it is relatively easy to make friends and acquaintances regardless of whether you are able to speak French a little or not at all. The French are very accommodating in this respect and patiently listen while we stumble awkwardly over the pronunciations of their words.

Hunting in Brittany

‘La Chasse’, or hunting as we call it, is a very popular pastime in many regions of France. Depending on your point of view you will regard this piece of information with a sense of anticipation or disappointment; either way it is part of the fabric here in Brittany.

 

Pass the Cheese

French Friends Coming for Dinner

 

After a relatively short period of time in our rural home in France my husband and I thought it time to take the next step in breaking the ice with our new French (and Breton) speaking acquaintances.  There is no better way to get to know people than to share a meal with them; particularly if the meal is to their taste and is well prepared; and thereby hangs a tale.

 

Living With the Fosse Septic

I remember those halcyon days in the UK when flushing the toilet meant that you would never see your bodily waste again. In rural France, unfortunately this cannot be guaranteed and you spend a lot of your spare time making sure that your fosse septic (septic tank) is functioning correctly in order to ensure that the required bacterial action continues.

 Actually it is a marvellous system which deals with all your household liquid waste and if correctly installed, ensures that no environmental damage is caused by the eventual run off.

 Since 1992 the French government has taken its environmental responsibilities seriously and started to enforce European directives on the disposal of waste. An organisation called SPANC, (Service Public d’Assainissement Non Collectif,) has the responsibility of inspecting and enforcing the safe disposal of liquid waste. An initial site visit is carried out to ensure that those properties that cannot be connected to a communal or town drainage system have a safe system of collection and treatment.

The Challenges of Driving in Brittany

Driving a car in Brittany can be a real pleasure and a nightmare dependent on how confident you are as a driver and whether you are driving an expensive car. The first thing to understand is the French do not place the same value on their cars as the English, for the majority it is simply a way to get from A to B. In complete contrast to the majority of English owners who have a passionate love of their cars and value them as an important status symbol to be cherished as a member of the family.

 

Once you understand this contrast of values you can begin to prepare for the driving standards to be found on the roads of France and in particular Brittany. I should say in defence of the French drivers that over the years there have been a number of changes to the driving rules which tends to split the drivers into two groups, those that have been tutored in the existing rules and those that insist the old rules are still applicable. This adds to the challenge and excitement of driving on Brittany’s roads as you have to anticipate the next move.

 

Le Taupe Anglais

Having spent the day on your ride on mower trying to recreate the lawns of England in your French estate, you lie back on the sun bed and admire the acres of perfect turf. Whilst you relax, beneath the surface of the lawn an evil devil is designing his next underground network. Within hours of perfecting your bowling green this beast with web feet has recreated the Somme in your garden.

 

Yes the mole (le taupe) is back; despite all your best efforts he continues to wreak havoc in your garden. Initially I was fairly relaxed about the problem and having a wife who is very much into protecting the wildlife my efforts to deter these ‘lovely little things’ was considerate in the extreme.

 

I visited the local garden shop to seek advice and was shocked at range and variety of deterrents, traps, poisons and explosive devices available. Clearly the mole problem is big business in France.

 

Everyday Life in Rural Communities - La Poste

The day rarely passes without a visit from la Poste. This takes the form of a little yellow van on the horizon travelling at, or close to, the speed of light around narrow country lanes and coming to an abrupt halt as close as possible to your letter box. ‘Les boîtes aux letters’ are either freestanding in close proximity to your house or installed in a wall surrounding your garden and the artistic French can even incorporate them into their box hedges; delicately trimming around its façade so the postman will recognise it.

 

You must not expect punctuality from any public service (or anyone else for that matter) so do not set your clocks according to the mail delivery. But what you can expect and come to rely on is a personal service. He will know your name, you will have exchanged greeting and shaken hands and that you have uttered “Bonjour” in the distinctive fashion of  ‘les Anglais’ or in the case of the Welsh, Irish or Scottish; undoubtedly Celtic. This limited amount of information in the course of time will prove sufficient for the delivery of a letter baring only your first name!

 

Once a year before Christmas, there is an extra delivery in the shape of a very informative calendar, (I certainly enjoy reading mine), it comes in the shape of an A5 sized thin hardback book. This year my entertaining “Almanach du Facteur 2009” is embellished on the front and back of its cover with views of Monaco and Southern Corsica. Inside, each page of the month is complimented by colourful diverse snippets of general knowledge and on other pages are found maps of the local area, France and the world. To show our gratitude for the services rendered by our friendly neighbourhood “facteur” the custom in response to receiving this calendar is to give a similar gesture. ‘Les étrennes’ is the equivalent of the British Christmas box but in my experience exercised with more finesse in France.

 

In Brittany, the impression of ‘la Poste’ is a positive one from the point of view of the consumer. The country village post office is quietly efficient and much appreciated by the villagers and the surrounding farmers; so much so that a threat to its closure resulted in a petition to the mayor. On the busiest morning in our village, Saturday when the market arrives on the square in front of the church; people happily filed behind one another to add their signatures to a protest.

 

I am happy to say our little village has managed to keep its traditional post office; which is run by a mature lady who has a charming sense of fashion expressed by a regular change of  her eye catching brightly coloured necklaces. The queues are never too long but one should be prepared; while standing in turn holding a cumbersome parcel, to see a more senior member of the community boldly ignore everyone and stride past you up to the counter.  This action is never challenged and reveals a refreshing insight into French culture which is often overlooked; a respect for their more senior citizens.  

 

There is something reassuring about catching sight of the little yellow post van rolling through the countryside in all weathers to deliver letters, parcels and sundries. It suggests an enduring need of small communities to sustain a treasured way of life and the postman and the postmistress contribute to its continuing existence. “Vive la Poste!”

Heating the House in Brittany

 

It is no good having a palatial mansion in France if you cannot afford to heat it, so think carefully about the cost of any existing heating services and make sure it is a priority during the planning of any renovations. What is the point of a large house with lots of entertaining space if you end up having to keep warm gathered around a fire in one room.

 

Insulation

 

Insulation is obviously a key element in the efficiency of any heating plan; however it is sometimes difficult to achieve a balance between maintaining the aesthetics of an ancient house and insulating to a good standard. In ancient granite houses the wall is anything up to 600mm thick. Most builders will install a 50mm tile block wall on the interior to create an air gap and allow for the insertion of insulating material. Occasionally this can be achieved using a galvanised stud partition and plasterboard but only when the external wall is free of damp or water penetration.

 

Similarly roofs are a major source of heat loss in ancient French houses and insulating is very important particularly when constructing additional rooms in roof spaces. A number of building suppliers provide fact sheets giving clear advice on the correct materials to be employed in each location to achieve the required standards. Suppliers have a detailed catalogue which includes diagrams and instructions on installation, but most will be only too pleased to give free advice. From 1 November 2006 a diagnostic ‘de performance énergétique’ (DPE) has to be carried out on the property at the time of sale and presented to the Notaries prior to the signing of the preliminary purchase contract. Whist there is no obligation to carry out remedial works to improve the standard of energy efficiency it could be used to negotiate a reduction on the sale price, therefore correct insulation works during renovation can avoid future problems as well as reduce your annual fuel bills.

 

Methods of Heating in Common Use

 

Electricity is still in common use for home heating in France and individual panel radiators and the French version of storage radiators can be found in many homes. The cost of electricity at the time of writing is still relatively cheap compared to the UK but can be expensive if it is used to heat a substantial property. Oil filled towel rails are also very popular as they avoid the use of central heating to dry towels in the warmer months. As in the UK electricity tariffs are reduced for eight hours during the night.