News and Views from Availles Limouzine

It was hot and I was working (it happens occassionally) when there was a knock on the door. Someone freom the commune had heard that as I was British that I would know lots of other English/British wishing to buy a house. So after a little discussion I agreed to go with him to see it. It is a terrave house on one of the steep roads in L’Isle Jourdain not far away. It has potential and could provide a nice holiday home for a family or a main residence for an older couple in retirement who wanted to spend some time on renovation prior to permenant habitation.
You can see the pictures on the Picture part of the web site under houses for sale, L’Isle Jourdain.

And whilst on the topic of selling houses we are still trying to sell our house La Bussiere so if you are interested or know some one who might be give me a ring on +33 549 489821 or mail me on clive@french-holidays.net

How do you know that summer is coming? Answer when you restart the swimming pools.
So last weekend we started the pool at La Bussière which went well and is now clear and looking as it should in the photos. On the other hand we were not looking forward to starting the pool at Les Rimaudes as each year there is a major problem and this year was no exception. The connecting rings on the multi way valve broke and could not be repaired so that meant a new multi-valve and of course none of the pipe work fitted so more had to be bought and cut to length and fitted using much glue and many non-dictionary words. It is now working and starting to look good.
The next jobs will be to get the chlorine and ph levels right once the winter leaves have been cleared from the bottom of each pool.

After several weeks of rain, which we needed, the sun has appeared. Over the last few days (end of April) the temperature has shot up from 12 to 25deg C. Now everyone is saying that it is too hot too quickly. We are not complaining as the garden needs planting up and a little hot weather should slow down the rate of growth of the grass.
Planning is now under way by the Comité des Fetes on the Fete de Saint Jean. This is basically an excuse to have a village festival and dinner. This year it will take place on the 18 June and there will be booths through the village each with a free game and the possibility for people to win a prize by collecting points at each stall. There will be some new games this year and several competitions; including the best representation of a farm animal.
The dinner will be in the Availles Limouzine Salle de Fetes, interrupted as usual by a bonfire onto which the people present are invited to throw “fagots” made of vine clippings. This harks back to the pagan festival of mid summer and the longest day.

This coming Sunday, starting at 3pm, there will be another tea dance organised by the Comité des Fetes. This will take place in the Salle des Fetes as usual

Tout Bascule
By Olivier Lejeune
This coming Saturday there will be a performance by the touring company of Poitiers in the Village Hall (Salle de Fetes) in Availles Limouzine of this farce which turns on the throwing of a grain of rice after a wedding of a couple of whom the bride is rather heavily pregnant.
The performance starts at 20:30 and cost 6.50 for over 12 year olds, the rest are free! You can pay at the door.
Crepes will be served during the interval for a small payment.

If you want to become really over fed then you should try a lunch with the Federation Nationale des Anciens Combattants d’Algerie, commonly known as FNACA. After soup, three helpings of Choucroute, cheese and pudding we did not need to eat until well into Sunday. Needless to say it was well washed down though we did not have the traditional beer and stuck to wine.
About 150 people were there and a good time was had by all
What is Choucroute?
It is an Alsacian dish made from finely shredded, fermented cabbage cooked with belly pork, sliced sausages, pork knuckle and whole sausages of various sorts. It is quite variable in ingredients, but is always eaten during January and February at special ‘dos’ such as this.