This is France — Why Aquitaine?

Nr 13 – June-July 2008
This is France — Why Aquitaine?
Is it because Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most celebrated and popular figures from the
region of southwest France which bears her name, was successively married both to the King
of France (Louis VII) and the King of England (Henry II), that the British feel so much at
home in her region? Probably not. French history is full of mixed marriages and alliances –
or misalliances, not to mention long-lasting wars… – between our two peoples. But one of
the reasons might very well be that Aquitaine is one of the most beautiful regions of France
and one of the richest in terms of historical remains from the times of Eleanor, the Middle
Ages. The mythic city of Sarlat in the Dordogne (the French department which boasts the
largest population of English expatriates) is but one example among other true jewels of
medieval architecture.
Others would say that they are attracted by the style of old houses that they can afford to buy
and restore, by a countryside which is rather similar to some parts of England with its green
valleys and rivers, by the kindness and calm of the locals, by the quality and variety of food
and wines, by the vast landscapes swept by the same Atlantic winds as their native land…
Some expatriates, like Bev and Mike Vinnicombe, the owners of the Star Inn in Périgueux or
Nadia Halabi offer their own reasons for having chosen Aquitaine. Still others may have
different motivations.
“Too many British now”!
But the facts are there. According to a survey carried out a year ago by the Montesquieu
University in Bordeaux, more than half of the 700,000 Brits that have moved to and settled in
France have chosen the southwest part of France, and many in the area The Daily Telegraph
calls “Dordogneshire”. Even if the exact figures remain uncertain, estimates suggest that in
2007 Dordogne alone had almost 100,000 homes owned by Brits, most of them holiday
retreats, but more than 20,000 were permanent homes.
Are there winds of change in the air? An article published in October 2007 in Le Figaro
attests that the Brits are today more interested in other parts of the Centre and the Southwest,
such as the department of Creuse, in the Limousin region, where an impressive number of
English are moving. And the journalist points out that if many of these newcomers are
turning their backs on Périgord, it is mainly because the prices have become too high, and
also “because there are, paradoxically, too many British now”!
Pourquoi l’Aquitaine?
Est-ce parce qu’Aliénor d’Aquitaine, l’une des personnalités historiques les plus célèbres et
les plus populaires de cette région du sud-ouest de la France portant son nom, a été
successivement mariée à un roi de France (Louis VII) et à un roi d’Angleterre (Henry II), que
les Anglais s’y sentent autant chez eux ? Probablement pas. L’Histoire de France est remplie
de mariages mixtes et d’alliances – ou mésalliances, sans parler de guerres interminables –
entre les deux peuples. Mais une raison pourrait très bien être que l’Aquitaine est l’une des
plus belles régions de France et des plus riches en traces historiques de l’époque d’Aliénor, le
Moyen-Age. La cité mythique de Sarlat en Dordogne (le département français qui compte la
plus importante population d’Anglais) n’en est qu’un exemple parmi d’autres véritables
joyaux de l’architecture médiévale.
Diverses motivations
D’autres personnes diront qu’elles sont attirées par le style des vieilles maisons qu’elles
peuvent se permettre d’acheter et de restaurer, par un paysage qui est assez proche de celui de
certaines régions d’Angleterre avec ses vertes vallées et rivières, par la gentillesse et le calme
de la population, par la qualité et la variété des aliments et des vins, par les vastes espaces
balayés par le même vent que celui de leur terre natale, venu d’Atlantique… Quelques
expatriés, comme Bev et Mike Vinnicombe, propriétaires du Star Inn à Périgueux ou Nadia
Halabi, donnent leurs raisons d’avoir choisi l’Aquitaine. D’autres encore peuvent avoir des
motivations différentes.
Mais les faits sont là. Selon une enquête réalisée il y a un an par l’Université Montesquieu de
Bordeaux, plus de la moitié des Anglais qui ont déménagé en France ont choisi le sud-ouest,
et beaucoup d’entre eux pour s’installer dans ce que le Daily Telegraph appelle le “Dordogneshire”. Même si les chiffres exacts demeurent incertains, selon certaines estimations, la
Dorgogne comptait en 2007 presque 100.000 maisons appartenant à des Anglais, la plupart
étant des lieux de villégiatures, mais plus de 20.000 une résidence permanente.
Y a-t-il du changement dans l’air ? Un article paru en octobre 2007 dans Le Figaro constate
que les Anglais s’intéressent aujourd’hui à d’autres parties du centre et du sud-ouest, comme
la Creuse, dans la région du Limousin, où un nombre impressionnant d’entre eux seraient en
train de s’établir. Et le journaliste de constater que s’ils sont aujourd’hui nombreux à tourner
le dos au Périgord, c’est surtout parce que les prix y sont désormais trop élevés, et aussi
“parce que, paradoxalement, il y a maintenant trop d’Anglais” !
Annick Stevenson
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An interesting investigation in Dordogne
The Research Department for the Economic Impact of Bergerac Airport Traffic has recently
published the results of a very interesting survey. Here are the main results:
95% of the passengers of the Bergerac airport are British. 1 passenger out of 5 lives in the
region, and 23% of the passengers own a house.
62% of the British who have settled in the departments surrounding the airport live in
Dordogne. The others are spread between Lot-et-Garonne (21%), Lot (8%), Charente (4%),
Gironde (4%), Tarn-et-Garonne (1%).
The age spread of the permanent residents: 48% are 50-64 years old, 23% above 64, 22.5%
from 35-49, and 6.5% below 35.
40% of the regional wineries have a regular clientele of British, and all the locals say that
the Brits usually buy good or excellent quality products.
600 companies are owned by British expatriates in the Dordogne, of which 55 farms. The
increase was +20% last year.
The economic impacts of the Brits in the Dordogne represented just under 160 million euros
in 2007.
My Main Reason for Chosing Aquitaine —
A Testimony
The main reason for choosing Aquitaine is that we knew the area before moving here. It was
an area where we had previously been on holiday several times.
Without knowing other parts of France, we liked the climate and the proximity to both the
Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts (about 3 hours either way). We were also taken by the
history of the area which is dominated by bastides and the history of ancient combat between
the English and the French. Also from a travel point of view, travelling back to UK is easily
accessible with Bergerac airport being 40 minutes from home. As alternatives there are also
airports in both Toulouse and Bordeaux (about 2 hours to each of these). There are plenty of
things to do, especially in the summer (theatre, cinema, music) so we do not feel too far from
activities which we were used to in the UK. We wanted an area that was rural yet within easy
access to services and entertainment, which this easily gives us.
We particularly chose the Lot-et-Garonne because we wanted an area a little less infiltrated by
the English (unlike the Dordogne) in order that we could meet French people and improve our
language. In fact, we have since found that there are quite a lot of immigrants here, mainly
English and Dutch. However, unlike some areas in France where, due to the numbers of
immigrants in that area, services can be accessible in English, this is not the case for the Lotet-Garonne, which has forced us to learn and deal with all situations in French.
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Also the landscape is very rich and diverse and changes dramatically within just one
department. And probably like most areas in France, there is a huge amount of space around
us. Even if you lived in a town, the countryside and space are easily accessible, of course, if
that is what one wants.
I realise that there are many beautiful places in France, but before ever considering moving to
another part of France, I would have to think long and hard about the accessibility, the
landscape, the climate, the available services and entertainment locally.
Nadia Halabi
Agenda for the Summer — A Few Suggestions
21-29 June: Les Océanes, Fête de la mer et casetas (surf, and more : music, science, art, etc.),
Biarritz.
www.biarritz.fr/Website/site/fra_tourisme.php
26-29 June: Bordeaux fête le vin (The Bordeaux Wine Festival). Bordeaux. www.bordeauxfete-le-vin.com
1-6 July: Festival des rives et des notes (jazz). Oloron-Sainte-Marie (Pyrénées-Atlantique).
http://jazzoloron.com
7-12 July: Festival Arte Flamenco. Mont-de-Marsan (Landes). www.landes.org
12-16 July: Salon des Antiquaires (Antiques Fair). Le Teich (Gironde). www.parc-landes-degascogne.fr
16-26 July: Festival international de musique classique. Bordeaux.
www.grandscrusmusicaux.com
16-18 July: Les déferlantes francophones (music). Capbreton (Landes). www.deferlantesfrancophones.com
28 July-2 August: Mimos, Festival international du mime. Périgueux. www.mimos.fr
30 July-3 August: Les Fêtes de Bayonne (music, parade and games). Bayonne (PyrénéesAtlantiques)
www.fetes.bayonne.fr
4-9 August: Festival des musiques de la Nouvelle Orléans. Périgueux. www.mnopfestival.com
14-16 August: Musicalarue (Music in the Streets Festival). Luxey (Landes).
www.musicalarue.com
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17-31 August: Sinfonia en Périgord, Festival de musique baroque d’Aquitaine. Périgueux.
www.perigord.tm.fr/sinfonia
A Gourmet’s Paradise
Say what you will about the legendary three-star restaurants in Paris and the obviously welldeserved reputation of the city of Lyon for gastronomical delights, you would have to look far
and wide to find the same vast repertoire of savoury dishes and regional specialities that make
up the culinary richness of the Aquitaine region in Southwest France.
The five departments that make up the region can truly lay claim to being the very best
possible place in France to satisfy one’s palate, whether in terms of food or drink. From the
extensive and prestigious vineyards of the Bordelais area and the world-renowned Bordeaux
wines to the truffles and foie gras of Périgord, the Bayonne ham and the Espelette peppers of
the Basque region, the oysters of the Arcachon Bassin the list is seemingly endless. It would
be impossible to include every wonderful delicacy from the region in this short article, but let
us propose a few of the most renowned and tasty and even a few that may not be quite as
well-known.
Foie gras, cèpes and truffles
While foie gras is not to the liking of all, especially because of the way it is produced, the
Périgord area is the number one exporter of goose foie gras in France. The black cèpe
mushrooms are especially sought after in the area and find their way into a variety of dishes,
including omelettes. One of Périgord’s claims to fame is the black truffles that are abundant
in the area. Called “black diamonds” by aficionados, they sell for astronomical prices at the
local truffle markets, and chefs from the great restaurants of France gather each fall to buy
their stock of truffles. They are often used to flavour foie gras. With the abundance of geese
and duck raised in the area for foie gras, the two fowl represent an important ingredient in
many regional dishes such as Magret de canard (see recipe on p. 39) confit de canard, confit
d’oie or rillettes d’oie (potted goose).
Basque delights
Many of the colourful and delicious fish dishes of the Basque Country are flavoured with
piment d’Espelette, a sharp, red pepper that is also the main ingredient of a pepper dip called
piperade and made with tomatoes and onions. The omni-present peppers lend both their
colour and their taste to the famous poulet basque, a chicken dish simmered in a red pepper
sauce. The salted ham from Bayonne is also a mainstay of Basque cooking and is served year
round.
Nuts and fruit
Walnuts and walnut oil are especially appreciated in the region, as are the plums and melons
of Agen. The brodé variety of melons grown on the hillsides around Agen are highly sought
after, and the plums from Agen are dried naturally to become the famous pruneaux d’Agen
from the Lot-et- Garonne.
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Wines and spirits
How can one do justice to the noble vineyards of the Bordeaux region in a simple paragraph?
Some of the world’s best-known and most expensive wines come from this area, and on a
leisurely drive through the well-kept vineyards and villages of the Bordelais countryside one
is immediately struck by the importance to the local economy of wine production. Other parts
of the region also produce remarkable, although less well-known, reds and whites: Bergerac,
the Sauternes from Graves, the dry white Entre-Deux-Mers wines and the Saint-Emilion and
Pomerol from the Libernais area.
Another well-known and highly appreciated liquor from the area is Armagnac, a distilled eaude-vie with a 40% alcohol content. It is thought to be France’s oldest spirit and combines the
expertise of three cultures: the vines of the Romans, the alembic of Arab invention for
distilling, and the oak casks from the Celts for aging. Armagnac is produced in three of the
departments of Aquitaine, the Gers, Landes et Lot-et-Garonne, and it’s production is carried
out under strictly regulated procedures.
Cheeses and desserts
Most of the cheeses from Aquitaine are made from cows milk, although there are a few goat
cheeses.
They include the famous bleu des Basques and also Brebiou, Cabécou, Etorki, Ossau-Iraty
and Rocamadour.
One of the most interesting desserts from the region is the Bordeaux specialty called canelé
(also cannelé, cannelet or canalet). They are small, cylindrical cakes baked in a tin mold with
vertical striations or fluting on the sides. Their name comes from the Gascon word for
fluting. They are a soft cake, flavoured with rhum or vanilla, on the inside with a hard,
caramelized shell on the exterior and have been a local dessert specialty in Bordeaux since the
17th Century. No visit to Bordeaux would be complete without tasting a canelé.
Bon appétit!
Roger Stevenson
Something English in Sarlat
In the heart of what is called Le Périgord noir, the medieval city of Sarlat is certainly one of
the most attractive places, and the most visited site, in Aquitaine.
British visitors are always impressed not only by the beauty of the city and its amazing
architecture, but also by its history. During the Hundred Years War, it was a frontier region
between the kings of France and England. The highly fortified town was at the centre of
battles and became English at the end of the first part of the war, in 1360, when, under the
terms of the treaty of Brétigny, Edward III renounced his claim to the throne of France in
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exchange for the Southwest of France. Ten years later, the Connétable du Guesclin drove the
English from France (thank God, they are back now…), and Sarlat became French again.
There is no doubt, however, that it has retained something of its English past: echoes of the
style in the old buildings and their furniture, but also a certain something in the mood. It is no
surprise that so many British feel at home in Sarlat.
For visitors (but residents can take advantage as well), every Wednesday at 11:00 am from
mid-May to mid-October (except in August), the Tourist Office conducts a guided tour of the
city in English (cost: 5 €).
More information on the website (with an English version): www.ot-sarlat-perigord.fr
Périgueux: Special for their English-speaking visitors
The Tourist Office of Périgueux organizes every Wednesday, at 11 am, during the months of
June, July and September, a visit of the city in English. The tour lasts around 1h 30 and gives
access to sites which are normally closed to the public, such as: the Tour Mataguerre, a
Renaissance stairway, the cloister of the Cathedral, etc.
Cost: 5€ per person. Information at the Office de tourisme:
26 place Francheville, Périgueux.
Tel: 05.53.53.10.63. [email protected]
A British Couple in the Middle of a Controversy
A petition is circulating and several demonstrations have already taken place since mid-May,
organized by a defence committee specially created and called “Court circuit”*. The
controversy involves a British couple, Sandra and David Brooker-Carey, who own a parcel of
land in Dordogne that they had bought from another English couple, Mr. et Ms. Dunn, and
called the “Domaine de Bagatelle”. Their land is located close to the village of Saint-Crépinde-Richemont and inside the “Parc naturel régional Limousin” (a preserved space) and they
plan to transform it into a 4.6km racetrack, along with an automobile Museum and hotels,
restaurants, etc.
The local population and the environmentalists are very much opposed to the project because
of the potential for pollution, noise, damage to the ecosystem (a good number of trees will be
cut down) and animals in the forest, etc. and are trying to get the French authorities to listen to
them. Who will win? The response, most probably, in a few weeks or months…
* Website (with an English version): www.court-circuit-dordogne.com
Court circuit is a delightful play on words: literally a short circuit, but the word circuit in
French is also used to refer to a racetrack.
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