Dordogne Blog

Last Saturday, local fishing and waterways associations announced the opening of fishing season in the Dordogne. Angling enthusiasts will be welcome in the Dordogne’s waterways from now until September 19, according to SudOuest.com. The only exception will be the river Coly and its tributaries, which will be prohibited for the first sixteen days - until the 22nd of March.

The Dordogne’s waterways are some of the best in France for amateur fishing. Anglers can hook carp, cat fish, trout or even salmon in either privately maintained lakes, or in the local rivers. Like anywhere, fishermen should be aware of regulations to stop overfishing - for example, this year, anglers may catch six trout over 25cm per day per person.

Speaking at the meeting of the 70 presidents of the Associations Authorised Fishing and Protection of the Aquatic Environment (AAPPMA), the departmental president was enthusiastic about the prospects for fishing in the Dordogne over the next year.

Robert Philip said: “The winter was cold with lots of rain, [but] our rivers have good levels and [the] conditions are excellent. This week, more releases of fish will be organised throughout the department.”

“This should be a good season.”

A full fishing license for the department will cost 65 euros, although for 85 euros you can purchase a license that allows you to fish in a total of 70 departments. There are other pricing options available that are less expensive and may be more appropriate, particularly for those on a French holiday, such as the holiday-period specific card, the daily license and the youth card.

In 2009, more than 21,000 fishing licenses were sold in the Dordogne. They can usually be obtained from either fishing shops or from local tabacs (newsagents) or even bars.

Two U.S rock bands are to play in the Dordogne this weekend, bringing explosive live music to a traditionally peaceful day.

This Sunday punk rockers The Bellrays and The Fleshtones will play Rocksane, a popular music venue in Bergerac and one of the most popular venues in the Dordogne. The concert will start at 6pm, with tickets costing 18 euros on the door or 15 euros pre-ordered.

Unlike many gigs at Rocksane, this explosive concert is likely to only be suitable for 18s or over.

The Bellray’s performance is part of their European tour. The rather odd choice of a Sunday evening for a rock concert is the result of their hectic schedule; the band is playing a different venue for every single day they are on the continent. According to SudOuest.com, this non-stop schedule reflects the quartet’s non-stop style of music, characterised by punk tempos, edgy guitar riffs and the soulful voice of singer Lisa Kekula – a combination of garage rock and soul singing that fits their slogan of “Maximum Rock N’Soul”.

As well as the Bellray’s, concert-goers will have the opportunity to see New York garage rock group The Fleshtones. Since forming in 1976, this band has amassed a huge cult following, though their independent streak has stood in the way of mass commercial success. 

With over three decades of experience playing alongside names like Iggy Pop, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and relative newcomers The Strokes, arguably it’s The Fleshtones who should get top billing this Sunday. If you love rock n’roll and you’re in the Dordogne, there’s no better way you could spend your Sunday.

The Connexion has reported that vast sea defence work across the whole of the French coastline and waterways have been planned to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s storm induced floods.

The French government has commissioned a task force to examine over 1,000 km of sea walls in the upcoming weeks. By May, the government has announced it will publish a report on any improvements or further reinforcements that will need to be implemented along its coastlines.

During the height of the recent storms, an old sea wall on the Vendee coast was breached, causing a large flood that submerged local houses and French holiday homes under nearly 2 metres of water, claiming the lives of 52 people in the country.

The government hopes to create a warning system for homes on coastal floodplains and will create tougher planning regulations for homes in previous flood affected areas.

Many homes on the banks of the Loire river, have been condemned, to protect against floods – with the local council buying up homes, to allow residents to find alternative accommodation.

Chantal Jouanno, Junior Ecology Minister commented that although the financing of the scheme had yet to be agreed, the improvements could cost around 3 billion Euros.

Such improvements have given reassurance to those with holiday cottages or second homes in France, who were worried that flood risks from both rivers and coasts may affect their investments.

If you are looking to go for a French holiday with a difference, then Paris is kicking off it’s world famous Paris Fashion Week on Thursday. The city will be buzzing while this event runs for nine days and you could even catch a glimpse of top fashionista’s and celebs.

Those with children can take a trip to Disneyland, and the fashion lovers can attend nearby fashion exhibitions which are put on throughout the city whilst fashion week is going on. For the not-so fashion orientated, then the Paris Sightseeing Pass gives access to over fifty of the French capital’s top attractions, guaranteeing boredom will never set in. Take time to explore the historical sights and attractions such as the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe before enjoying a relaxing cruise along the Seine River. There is also a wine tasting experience for the adults to enjoy.

Though if you aren’t the hustle and bustle type, your holiday is probably best spent in a more relaxed area, such as the Dordogne. A more tranquil and laid back countryside filled with vineyards and peace. 

So whether you want a break consisting of fashion, a busy city break, or a tranquil stay in a luxury traditional house, France offers a variety of different options available for every taste.

The Dordogne appears to have escaped the violent storms that struck France over the weekend with remarkably little damage, with the department wide crisis warning being cleared at 1600 yesterday.

Earlier this morning, President Nicolas Sarkozy declared a national disaster after the storms caused massive destruction in other areas of France, particularly across the Atlantic coast. Many buildings and roads across the country have been damaged by the force of the storm, named Xynthia.

Xynthia had wind speeds of an estimated 140km/h when it swept across the west of France, before sweeping into Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

As the major threat was to the French coastline – which has been hit badly by the storm – five departments along the coast were placed on red warning but many of the other 90 departments in the country were placed on high alert with an orange warning.

The Dordogne was among those departments but appears to have escaped damage almost entirely, even compared with other inland areas. During the storm, Weather France Bergerac – which lost power during the storm – recorded wind speeds of 105km/h near Thiviers, 95km/h near Perigueux and 92km/h near Bergerac.

According to SudOuest.com there has been no major damage to any location in the department, though there are still “trees and branches on the pavement…overturned garbage cans or broken signs” and minor damage to roof tiles across the Dordogne-Perigord region.

Speaking yesterday morning, the sub-preft of Bergerac, Bernard Pouget, said that though “the wind blew hard… we found no significant consequences” and there is “No particular risk of flooding…given the lack of rainfall during the storm.”

Damage in the Dordogne appears to have been limited to minor power cuts and disruptions to phone lines, caused by fallen trees. Some houses have also been damaged but no casualties have been reported and the roads have been cleared throughout the department, thanks to the 76 operations by local firefighters over the weekend.

Services in the Dordogne may be affected today by a national demonstration over immigration.

A national “day without immigrants” is to take place today as a form of protest over political hostility towards immigrants and labour in France. Foreign residents across France, as well as all those citizens who were born overseas have been encouraged to halt work throughout the first of March, in order to highlight their contribution to the economy at a national and local level.

Claimed to the be the first of its kind in France, the initiative was inspired by a similar demonstration in the US in 2006. Similar protests will take place in other EU countries today, with immigrants in Italy, Greece and Spain seeking to illustrate their contribution to their respective nations.

The protests are supported by five national unions. It is hoped by the organisers that none of the 70,000 people who joined the supporting Facebook group or any of those acting in solidarity, will either work in any form of employment or buy any kind of product for the next 24 hours.

Some demonstrations will take place outside town halls between 1200 and 1400 though it is unknown whether any of these will take place in the Dordogne.

Although mass disruption is unlikely to affect anyone on a French holiday significantly, people should be prepared for the possibility of reduced staff in many areas of private and public services throughout France.

For those planning a French holiday in March, it may be prudent to take note of their GP’s day of strike action on March 11.

Four unions, including the largest MG France organisation, have encouraged doctors to take part in the walkout and shut their practices for one day. Nevertheless, it is not expected that hospital doctors will participate, so visitors should have no problems should they be unfortunate enough to encounter any emergencies on their vacations.

French GP’s are striking in protest to a lack of resources, an increasing workload and low pay. Unions argue that practices are dealing with a high volume of patients as existing doctors retire and graduates decide on higher paid roles.

Earlier in February, the French medical audit office the ‘Cour de Comptes’, commented that GP’s were wasting up to 200m Euros per annum by using traditional paper medical claim forms, instead of utilising the new innovative electronic card system. However, doctors have retaliated, saying that surgeries cannot afford to employ such technologies.

Despite the walkout, it is expected that hospitals will be prepared to cope for the extra influx in patients.

The most prestigious event in the French farming calendar, the Salon de l’Agriculture, is opening this weekend in Paris - showcasing produce from all over the country, including delights from Provence, the Dordogne and Normandy.

Thousands of stalls are on offer, hosting a variety of French cheese, beer, honey and much more. The event also holds an awards ceremony ‘Le Concours General Agricole’, for the best wines, livestock, dairy products and other French produce. Rare breeds of cattle will be on show such as the Bretonne pie noire, as well as showcasing a plethora of other animals.

Political appearances are expected from the likes of Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy, who will spend hours sampling French produce and mingling with farmers. The event is reported in The Connexion to be a ”political pilgrimage” for politicians looking to bolster the rural vote, as regional elections are due to commence on March 14.

The event, dubbed as ‘the biggest farm in the world’, is also expected to attract over 600,000 visitors and tourists alike, from February 27 – March 7.

With the theme of the event being that of sustainable development, new to this year’s show will be a research centre, showing the affect of agriculture on the environment.

The event hopes to celebrate French farmers and produce, at a time when there is a growing worry about cheaper produce being imported from overseas.

The Connexion has reported that by 2015, every home in France should be fitted with a smoke alarm according to a new law.

Responsibility for equipping a home with a smoke alarm will lie with the person living in the home, except in the case of French holiday cottages or gites where the landlord will be in charge of making sure that the device is working correctly.

Holiday home landlords, tenants and homeowners who neglect to fulfil these new regulations by 2015, are likely to face an additional 5,000 Euros on there insurance premium in the event of a fire.

It is reported that there are around 800 fatalities from fires in France every year, with only 2 per cent having smoke alarms in their homes. This is a poor figure compared to the UK, where 89 per cent of homes are equipped with a smoke detector. Meanwhile, in Norway almost every home is equipped – with 98% of homes fitted with the device.

Damien Meslot the UMP’s deputy, has been championing the law for the past five years. He said of the new legislation: ”Smoke alarms will save the lives of hundreds of people every year.”

The revised law was supported by a large MP majority, bar the Communist Party, who commented that the responsibility in standard rented accommodation should lie with the landlord, not the tenant.

British buyers look like they are venturing out there again – investing in overseas property in France. More than 70 per cent of Knight Frank’s enquiries for France so far this year have been from British people, with the greatest interest in the Dordogne, as well as areas in the South, South west, and the Alps.

Paul Humphreys, from Knight Frank’s French department commented on the trend, saying: “It’s a good time to buy. French property prices have fallen and there’s a nice supply of good-quality properties at the right price on the market, in places we’ve always had love affairs with, such as Gascony and the Dordogne.”

As well as the country’s aesthetically pleasing appeals, the vineyards and châteaux, the food, culture and countryside, France also rates highly on practical points too. Its proximity, which good for those who hate flying or airports, and prefer to drive or take the train. For those who relish flying, there is an international appeal- a bonus for holiday lets. The weather is hot and sunny and a weakening Euro are all factors of advantage towards French holidays.

The Dordogne is particularly attractive to British families and couples, as it boasts a relaxed setting, with rivers, market towns and no hustle or bustle. Harris Raphael from Pioneer France says: “The Dordogne is as the British imagine the countryside should be. We’ve seen an increase in enquiries and sales since the end of late 2009, mainly families with children looking for a holiday home and couples in their fifties thinking of retirement in a few years.”

Knight Frank says they are hearing more from commuters seeking a family home in France, where the husband can fly back from Bergerac or Bordeaux airports to an office in London.

The UK half-term may be over for most of Britain’s school kids, but in France the school break has barely begun. For the many schools across the Dordogne, lessons are out for at least two weeks from Saturday the 20th to Sunday the 7th of March.

Although this may mean longer queues for those on a French holiday, it also means that there will be many opportunities for family activities throughout the Dordogne, specially organised for the half-term break.

Those attracted to the Dordogne by the valley’s prehistoric heritage, such as the world famous Lascaux caves, will be pleased to know that both the National Museum of Prehistory and the Vezere prehistoric cave organisation are running a family discovery program until March 7.

The Museum, located in Les Eyz€ies, will have daily tours throughout the week; prices range from €10 for adults, €5 for those under 18 and free entry for under 13’s.  There will also be visits to sites at Le Moustier, Micoque, Laugerie Haute and Font De Gaume.

If history doesn’t appeal, then you may be interested in the downhill ice-run located in Bergerac for the half-term period. An ice rink has been installed in the town’s Room Anatole France; covering an area of 600 square metres, holding 150 people at once. Entry costs €7 for adults, €5 for children and the rink is open from 1000 to 1200, 1400-1600 and 1700-1900 on weekdays. Night-time sessions are held on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 2100 to midnight.

People who are planning to visit the Dordogne for a French holiday over the next month should be aware that five major trade unions are planning a nationwide day of strike action on the 23rd of March.

Connexion, the English-language French news monthly, reports that the unions are likely to strike in protest at proposed pension reforms. Although the publication says that it is “too early” to say what effect the strike will have or where the effects will be most felt, given the prominence of the unions it seems likely that services will be disrupted across the country.

CFDT, CGT, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA have all announced plans for an industry-wide walkout after President Sarkozy said that a new law on retirement would be pushed back to the Autumn, instead of summer as originally planned. Between them, the five unions represent many in blue-collar jobs, such as transport, retail or municipal services, as well as those in white-collar jobs such as civil administration.

Those on a French holiday may find it easier to plan around the strike. They may find shops, services and public attractions disrupted or closed due to lack of staff or temporarily closed as a gesture of solidarity with the movement. In the Dordogne specifically, it seems unlikely that the strike will affect the smaller villages and towns in the region, although larger settlements like Perigueux or Bergerac may be affected.