At Home in Brittany

French Bank Holidays - Stumbling In The Dark

We stumbled across our first national holiday in France on “le quatorze juillet”; as every French citizen will tell you, is known as Bastille Day which marks the start of the French Revolution. The fourteenth of July is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in Paris in 1789 and is still celebrated (not with decapitation in honour of Monsieur Guillotine) but with a military parade along the Champs Elysées and the awarding of the “Légion d’honneur” created by Napoleon Bonapart.

 

Waking up the morning after our arrival in Brittany we soon realised on visiting our village for the obligatory baguette, we were unlikely to be able to purchase anything; let alone our daily bread. The village was completely deserted and all the little shops firmly closed and sealed. But, all was not lost for all over France local councils arrange celebrations for the 14^th July and our little village was no exception. There was a bonfire, fireworks and dancing late into the early hours of the following morning; not forgetting of course we are in France where good food is never far away. And of course no celebration is complete without champagne.

 

DIY Shopping in Brittany

In common with the rest of France, Brittany has seen a surge in the opening of new DIY superstores as a result of the increasing enthusiasm for improving the house and garden. This is completely contrary to the France of a few years ago where dilapidated buildings falling into the street were a common site in rural areas and building maintenance in general had a low priority.

Coming from the UK the first thing a DIY shopper in Brittany notices is the incredible range of tools, building materials and ancillary equipment available. My wife complains that when I go to the DIY store a glazed expression comes over my face and she is convinced that I drift off into an alternative dimension.

 

It is immediately clear that there are no boundaries beyond which a DIY aficionado is expected to go; every dangerous bit of kit is freely available to all. From an ex-pat point of view this can be quite a dangerous prospect, especially as a large majority are retirees. It is not unusual to see people walking out of the stores carrying chain saws, welding plants and aluminium building towers; one would hope that their complimentary health insurance is in place. My advice would be to take advantage of all the recommended protective equipment for the use of individual tools, read carefully all the advisory guidance on use supplied with the tool and in the case of potentially dangerous equipment like chain saws, make enquiries regarding a training course for safe use.

Breton Farmers in Touch with the Land

I am very lucky to live within a close farming community in Brittany, taking me back to my family roots and the many happy years I spent balanced on the edge of my father’s tractor in the Surrey countryside. I suppose it was this yearning for the days of my youth that in part led us to buy a farmhouse in a rural community.

 

Shortly after our move to Brittany in 2002 we decide the best way to meet our neighbours was to hold a small evening soiree and set about sending out invitations to everyone living in our hamlet, a high percentage of which are farmers. Not surprisingly they were all inquisitive to meet the strange English people who had bought the old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere! We sent out 12 invitations and within no time the prospective attendees had grown to 23 due mainly to the various ‘accidental’ meetings with tractor roadblocks and casual enquiries about the forthcoming soiree.

 

Why do you like living in Brittany?

Over the last 7 years we have often compared day to day life in Brittany with that of our previous life in the UK and are often asked why we like living here. Yesterday some French friends asked us that very question; culminating with a request to come up with a list of the top ten reasons. So we gave it some serious thought and came up with our own list.

It is inevitable that others would consider other reasons more important and we would be pleased to have other ex-pats express their views based on their own experiences. The answer to the next question is, yes, we could probably come up with a list of things we dislike about living in Brittany, but would probably struggle to achieve ten, so we will leave that for another day. In the meantime, in no particular order here is our top ten.

 

Patience and Good Humour

We have mentioned this before in our various posts on this Blog, but it is worth repeating that the Bretagne people are extremely friendly and always have time for you. They go out of their way to make you welcome and once you have been introduced to someone they will want to develop and continue the relationship. You can always find individuals who are exceptions to the rule, but these are few and far between. Despite the fairly hard life in rural areas and low levels of income we have only ever found good humour and endless patience, especially with our French language.

 

Rural Brittany Savoir Faire

Why is French couture and particularly haute couture so distinguishable from other countries?  Fashion houses whose workmanship and creative design are found not only in Paris but in London, New York, Milan, Rome, Tokyo; and all are worthy of the title of haute couture. La mode française is of course; as in all other parts of the world, an expression of the culture of a country.

 

The answer is probably found in the 18^th century, notably emanating from the frivolous and overstated mode of fashion adopted by the French court at Versailles. The extravagant styles topped with powdered wigs and the notoriously decadent reputation of social behaviour was the beginning of an influence that spread around the world.

 

Today, the echoes of the flamboyance of taste at that extravagant period of history can still be seen: not only on the catwalks of fashion houses but also in the high street shops.  It is reflected in the more exclusive shops in the largest towns nearest our rural home; the clothes based on styles not unseen in British shops but with an additional ruffle, extra buttons adorning the sleeves; a cut in a tailor-made jacket reveals the splash of colour of the lining or generally it is something Je ne sais quoi.

 

Garden Time in Brittany

Despite the weather it is time to get the tools out and get stuck into the garden which is just about to spring into life. Snow, wind, rain and hail have all attempted to kill off the plants, trees and hedgerows, but amazingly the majority seem to have survived the ravages of a Brittany winter.

Bonfires are the order of the day but how many of you realise that the communes have fairly strict rules on when and where you can have a bonfire. It depends on the area you live in and you should ask the local Marie for details of the restrictions that apply in your commune. In general terms, bonfires are not allowed between the beginning of June and the end of September. It is also normal for communes to ban bonfires at weekends and before 0800am and after 0800pm weekdays.

A little known fact is there are also restrictions on the use of motorised garden power equipment on public holidays, Saturday afternoons and Sundays. Once again I would advise you check with the local Marie for details of restrictions in your area.

It is the weekend and you now know you cannot use the mower nor have a bonfire! But do not despair as there is plenty to do at this time of year. If you live in Brittany you will have ‘Hortensias’ or hydrangeas as we Brits call them, requiring urgent attention. There are several schools of thought on when you should prune and thin them out to encourage new growth. I must admit I have watched the locals and copied their approach. Take of the dead heads at the end of the year or as they dry up and then leave them until March. If you think we are through the frost period then start pruning the shoots, taking out dead wood and leaving those that are less than about three years old. Carefully extract the dead leaves from the heart of the plant to prevent the centre rotting. Leave between 8 to 12 good shoots per plant. If you prune too hard you will cause late blooming of the plant, practice over several years will give you a good understanding of the right level to apply.

Moving to France - Changing the Habits of a Lifetime

There is no doubt that unless you have spent a lot of time in France or Europe before you move to a new home in Brittany, you will need to be prepared to adapt to the change in pace and culture. Most people have a preconceived idea of life in France developed by the stereotype portrayed on television and in the press and general media. Oh how wrong can you be!

 

I have heard many retired ex-pats refer to life in Brittany as being like England in the Fifties. Whilst I disagree, I can see similarities in the slow pace of life and the view of many Bretons that family, relaxation and enjoying the companionship of friends and neighbours is of great importance. The average Bretons life revolves around social events within a five mile radius of their home including, work, shopping and community activities.

 

Anne de Bretagne – Duchess of Brittany

Brittany is a region of north-west France which has always regarded its culture remote from that of the rest of the country; and in support of this ideology there is an historical story of a seemingly vulnerable Duchess. 

 

Her story revolves around her three marriages; which came about in her endeavours to secure the continuing independence of the Duchy. For Anne it all began in 1488 when a French army invaded Brittany defeating Anne’s Father; Frances II Duke of Brittany, and effectively ending what was referred to as La Guerre Folle between France and the Duchy. France coveted Brittany, and fearing it would fall into foreign hands imposed on the Duke the restriction that his daughter’s hand in marriage would not be given without the consent of the French crown. Shortly afterwards the Duke died leaving Anne; at the tender age of twelve, Duchess of Brittany  and facing what was to be, the last Franco- Breton war.

 

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.