Brits Contribute Nearly 50% to Region's Growth

Figures released this week show an increase in the population of our region. The Limousin now has 727,000 inhabitants in total, an increase of 0.27% on the 1999 figures.

Although the overall picture is one of growth, the authorities are concerned at the number of young, working age people still leaving the region.UK residents now form 4.4% of the population but have been responsible for a whopping 44% of new immigrants to the region over the last 5 years. These figures are based on Brits who have made the Limousin their permanent residence and do not take in to account those who have bought holiday homes here.Other figures released this week show that although the crime figures for the region have increased slightly it still has one of the lowest rates of crime in France. The small increase has been put down to a rise in violence following the consumption of alcohol and a rise in domestic violence. The authorities say these areas will be targeted for improvement in 2008

Two Die in Taxi Tragedy

A dramatic road accident took place recently in the commune of St Mathieu, Haute Vienne. A 50 year old taxi driver was transporting an 80 year old patient to hospital when the vehicle left the road. The accident took place on the CD675 around 3.20pm. Tragically both the driver and the passenger lost their lives. The cause of the accident is unknown.

Happy Birthday CHU

Founded in 1958 by Michel Debré, the CHU (Centre hospitalier universitaire) hospital at Limoges is celebrating its golden jubilee this year. There will be special events held throughout 2008. Organizers have launched an appeal for anyone who has photos or memorabilia that could be used in the events to come forward.

Body Found In Ashes

The remains of a human body have been found amongst the ashes of a house destroyed by fire. The grim discovery was made by fire fighters who attended the blaze in the small hamlet of Creffont, Ligneyrac, Correze. The fire had completely destroyed the house as well as the barn and garage of the property. DNA tests are to be carried out to confirm the identity of the body, but it is widely believed to be the retired male who lived at the property. Initial investigations also suggest that the man had intended to take his own life.

Smoking Gun

A bar owner in Gueret was the first in the town to be threatened due to the recently introduced no smoking ban. One afternoon in late January, a 40 year old man entered the town centre bar with a lit cigarette. The owner politely asked the man to extinguish his cigarette or leave the building. The man, who had consumed a large amount of alcohol before entering the bar, hurled abuse at the proprietor before producing an air gun. He waved the gun at the bar man in a threatening manner. Police were called and the man was arrested. Luckily no one was injured in the incident.

Drug Laws to be relaxed

The minister of health Roselyne Bachelot has announced a relaxation in the control of the sale of prescription drugs. It is proposed that around 200 medicines (3000 products) would be affected by the change. The proposed list includes items such as painkillers, skin creams etc. It is a move similar to the changes seen in the UK several years ago. French health representatives have expressed concerns that the changes could be detrimental to the nation’s health

False Paperwork Leads to Deportation

An Algerian national was arrested in Gueret at the end of January. The man was stopped by the police and found to be carrying forged identity papers. He has been sentenced to two months in custody, following which he will be deported.

Top Web designers in Limoges

The world’s top web designers were in the Limousin in January. Limoges hosted this prestigious competition with 800 of the worlds leading designers representing countries from several continents. The entrants worked in teams and were given 24 hours to create a unique and innovative website based around a given theme. The world finals will also be held in Limoges on the 17th, 18th and 19th of April.

Work begins to make Roman site a major tourist attraction

Work is finally under way in the major redevelopment of one of the region’s most important Roman sites. Department president Michel Boutant laid the first stone in a multi-million euro project to turn the ancient baths, temples and amphitheatre at Chassenon in the Charente-Limousine into a leading cultural and tourist attraction. The site – known to the Romans as Cassinomagus – was originally built about 2,000 years ago, at a time when there were four neighbouring peoples; the Lemovices to the east, the Pictons or Pictaves to the north, the Petrocores to the south and the Santones to the west. By 2012-2013 the new attraction is expected to welcome between 40,000 and 50,000 visitors a year - roughly double the current figure. The department council has bought the 28 hectares on which the remains are situated, and the entire project is expected to cost around ten million euros. The first phase of the work – for which the €4.1m funding has already been found - will see the creation of an 800m2 visitors hall, 300m2 educational workshop areas, a large area marked by themed information stands, rest areas, a Roman garden and a balcony overlooking the ongoing archaeological excavation work. The second phase of work – for which the funding has not yet been finalised – will involve the construction of a large contemporary metal roof over the thermal paths, with a footbridge allowing people to walk over them. The first part of the new site should be open in 2009

Rural museum gets ready for summer re-opening

Local history experts have launched a number of new projects to improve the rural museum at Villefagnan in the north Charente when it opens to the public in June. The work, which is carried out by the association le groupe de recherches archéologiques et historiques de Villefagnan (Grahv), will include adding new display windows to exhibit old costumes, plus the reconstruction of a traditional forge and a bread oven. There will be videos on local history plus an exhibition devoted to the career of an internationally-renowned ‘shadow master’ – someone who creates shadow images on a wall with their hands – who was born locally, on the banks of the river Osme. In 2007 the museum saw the addition of a video about the history of postcards sent home from the front by First World War soldiers local to the area. More than 180 such cards have been unearthed and the exhibition will be continued this year. To help illustrate the themes of the past, there are also mannequins dressed in the clothes worn by various traditional professions, including that of an apprentice cartwright and a cowman. Grahv is also continuing its detailed researches into the history of local life and more publications are planned in the future. For example, a history of local agricultural shows and ploughing competitions is in the process of being written now. The association’s website also gives information on former mayors and councillors in the region, as well as an ongoing project to provide details about the men from the area who fought and died in the First World War.

Public and private sector workers unite in protest

Workers from private industry joined forces with those from the public sector in the Charente on 24 January 2008 as part of a series of nationwide protests against government policy. The two main concerns for both groups of employees are jobs and spending power. At Roumazières, staff at the tile works Lafarge and Terreal downed tools to stage a protest along the N141 road. At Aigre and Villefagnan protestors including parents, pupils, teachers and local elected representatives took part in demonstrations against the decision to cut an administrative post at each town’s collège. Many fear this could eventually lead to the closure of the small rural schools themselves. In Cognac too there were protests held by workers concerned about pay and job security. Meanwhile the biggest of the marches was held in Angoulême, where some 3,500 people took part. It included representatives from the main trade unions, the CGT, CFDT, FO, FSU and UNSA. But there were workers from a wide variety of organisations and firms, including health workers, administrative staff, local authority workers, customs officers, supermarket staff and employees from Schneider Electric. Many of the protests were pupils and teachers, with the unions claiming that half of all teaching staff went on strike in the Charente on Thursday. The education department claimed it was 35%. The protest also included staff from the education department worried about the loss of eight administrative posts. Passing through the crowds of visitors to Angoulême's comic strip festival – the Festival International de la Bande Dessinée – there was at times a festive air to the protest. But from the banners and placards it was clear that this was a serous demonstration against job losses and a loss of spending power. ‘Old people in poverty, the young having to slave away – we don’t want that kind of society,’ was one of the cries. And as a curious delegation of officials from China visiting the festival took photographs of them, the crowd also called for ‘An end to the rise in cost of living - raise employees’ salaries not shareholders’ dividends!’

`Eco social houses set an example

Ten new social housing units or council houses with a difference are being built in the Charente. The new homes at Montmoreau are environmentally-friendly with the aim of making significant reductions on energy consumption for householders. They are wood framed, sheltered from the wind, use solar energy to heat water and have large south-facing windows to make maximum use of the sun (so-called passive solar energy). They are being built by the Groupe Horizon Habitat et Mobilité following an appeal for such housing made by the regional council. ‘The cost of construction is higher than for a traditional house but our role is to lead the way,’ says group director Alain Cécillon. ‘These houses, which are located in relation to the sun, allows us to gain maximum energy from the outside. The central heating is provided by heat pumps.’ The result is that the homes meet the environmental standards known as ‘très haute performance environnementale’ (THPE). The architect Alain Gesson, defends the use of PVC windows frames. ‘This battle over PVC is pathetic,’ he says. ‘It’s recyclable. And for the owner and tenant the maintenance costs are lower.’ The architect also defends the fact that each of the ten homes is a little different to the other. ‘It’s so the people living there can take to them better,’ he explains. The first tenants will move in during July but this development is only the start. The group is building 21 more of the same type next year at Montbron. Other projects are also planned at Jarnac and Mansle. The residents of such eco-buildings are expected to use on average 120kw per square metre for a three-bedroom house. That’s about half the consumption of a normal home.

New stained glass window lights up church

A new stained glass window has been created and made for an historic Charente church. The depiction of Mary on the church window at Vouharte, north west of Angouleme, is in recognition of the fact that she is the patron saint of the commune. ‘We wanted it done in a popular figurative style so that everyone could appreciate it,’ says mayor Claude Fély. He points to the fact that the area has a very long tradition of worship. ‘We are standing on a very old religious site that dates from the time of Clovis [the founder the Merovingian dynasty of Frankish kings who converted to Roman Catholicism] in the 6th century,’ he explains. ‘The Virgin has always been our patron saint. Since my grandparents’ times people have been talking about having a big painting or a stone statue to pay homage to her,’ says the mayor. ‘But up to now we’ve only had an ordinary plaster statue.’ The idea for a stained glass window came to the mayor during the preparations for the local heritage days in 2005 and he got in contact with painter Serge Van Khache and the glass-working workshop of Anne Pinto from Tusson. ‘The mayor persuaded us to share his idea,’ says his assistant Jean-Jacques Ducouret. The key question next was one of finance. The mayor and his team sought and received financial backing from Gaz de France (€6,000), a foundation run by Crédit Agricole (€4,000) and public bodies. They also raised €6,100 in a local collection. ‘We didn’t use a centime of the commune’s budget,’ says the mayor. Serge Van Khache, from Villejésus, has created other windows before. ‘It’s a different kind of painting,’ he says. ‘You can play with the light and transparency.’ The church itself has been closed for several years because parts of it were in danger of collapsing. It’s now been repaired and is due to be reopened for worship by the Bishop of Angoulême on 16 February. However the new church and window will be officially inaugurated before then, in a ceremony on 2 February at 11am.

Charente slippers on display at Paris show

A new design of slippers from the Charente were on display at one of Paris’ most prestigious shows. The 38 pairs of footwear, in six different styles and colours, were being shown at the Maison et Objets exhibition in the capital in January. The new collection – which goes under the name Tcha - is part of an effort by the Charente to manufacture and promote a product that is named after the department – ‘une charentaise’ is a French word for slipper. Last year new designs were exhibited in a fashion parade at the Eiffel Tower. These colourful new slippers now on show in Paris have been made by three local firms; Laubuge (at Mornac, 8 staff), Ferrand (Villebois, 50 staff) and Degorce (Marthon, 59 staff). All are members of the association Toujours charentaises, set up by the department council’s economic body Charente Développement. The aim is to breathe new life into a product that has faced increased competition from Asia by targeting the upper end of the market. ‘First of all we made firms open to innovation through using the Institut de la mode [Fashion Institute] and eleven designers,’ says the head of the project Sophie Chrétien. ‘Now we are trying to develop the distribution networks – those who come to the show will be ordering in spring for their autumn stocks.’ The new slippers bear the names of their designers, the Czech Jana Rollowa, the German Wowo and Sophie Dulaurent from France. All are made from the best materials, fine leather and 100% wool, and their price will vary between €50 and €90. ‘It’s very stressful,’ admits Christine Meyrignac- Laubuge, whose firm bears her name. ‘It’s a new product and a new market and we’re not a multinational – there are only eight of us.’

Work begins to make Roman site a major tourist attraction

Work is finally under way in the major redevelopment of one of the region’s most important Roman sites. Department president Michel Boutant laid the first stone in a multimillion euro project to turn the ancient baths, temples and amphitheatre at Chassenon in the Charente-Limousine into a leading cultural and tourist attraction. The site – known to the Romans as Cassinomagus – was originally built about 2,000 years ago, at a time when there were four neighbouring peoples; the Lemovices to the east, the Pictons or Pictaves to the north, the Petrocores to the south and the Santones to the west. By 2012-2013 the new attraction is expected to welcome between 40,000 and 50,000 visitors a year - roughly double the current figure. The department council has bought the 28 hectares on which the remains are situated, and the entire project is expected to cost around ten million euros. The first phase of the work – for which the €4.1m funding has already been found – will see the creation of an 800m2 visitors hall, 300m2 educational workshop areas, a large area marked by themed information stands, rest areas, a Roman garden and a balcony overlooking the ongoing archaeological excavation work. The second phase of work – for which the funding has not yet been finalised – will involve the construction of a large contemporary metal roof over the thermal paths, with a footbridge allowing people to walk over them. The first part of the new site should be open in 2009.