Postcard from La Charente: Postcards from The Charente...now available as a Really Great Book

Wednesday, 11 January 2017

Postcards from The Charente...now available as a Really Great Book

Dear Reader,

After so long away from the blog keyboard I'm now back with some very important news....well, very important news to me but just perchance of little import to you.

That's unless you have been waiting with growing impatience these few years for my blogging output to be collected into one unforgettable and un-put-downable BOOK.

Here's what I have so modestly said in my eStore blurb about this Book Sale Event:

"11 months house exchange in the sticks in France! What will you DO?" was the constant question asked of us by our friends. "Simply live...live a day at a time!" was our reply. "But you don't even speak French!!!" they cried. "Hang on", we replied, somewhat miffed, "we've been studying the language diligently under our Professeur, Patricia, at the University of the Third Age. We can even say: bonjour mes amis."

We are two not-so-young retired Australians who love France and we wanted the real experience of actually living in France, not just the "18-day typical drive-through just $8,543 discounted if you book NOW" experience.

We were seeking authenticity! And we found it. In the tiny hamlet of "La Petite Ferme" located between two small and unremarkable French provincial towns in the "Department de la Chatente". Now, the Charente definitely is not Provence nor is it on the banks of the Loire. It's rural France with a capital R. The location might be unremarkable, but the experience was most remarkable.

The simple adventure of shopping in supermarkets and street markets almost as a local. The time to discover the treasures of our countryside, the lane ways and walkways, the village "vide greniers" (car boot sales). The opportunity that arose in an unlikely quarter to develop lasting friendships.

With a laid-back, humourous style Bryan captures the essence of our wonderful experience in a series of Postcards home. They are true to the experience, peppered with real people, all stories and events real and unadorned. This truly is a delightful read.

Actually what this book of Postcards now reveals is something more of the real life behind the magical moments of our Exchange.

This version is in Black & White meaning that the 37 pictures are in B&W. I have published it this way to keep the price down to US$12.50.

Full Colour Version is also available now! I now published my wonderful book in full colour under the title "Postcards from La Charente". The minimum price allowed by my self-publishing house will be US$30.00 buying from Amazon or CreateSpace. The colour version is definitely the way to go...much more evocative of the experience.

Now, where can you rush out and buy my book. It's available from Amazon.com and from the various Amazon European websites and the CreateSpace eStore at this address;

https://www.createspace.com/5644443

Buying in Australia? Best price for "Postcards from La Charente" (the colour version) is to buy from me direct, ordering by email to bandvhughes@gmail.com Price: $27.00 (AUD) plus postage

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Buying the Book

"Postcards from The Charente"

My book can be found at

Amazon.com

Amazon European websites such as Amazon.fr and at the

CreateSpace eStore at www.creatspace.com/5644443

The price is $US12.50

I would be truly delighted if you purchased a copy

158 pages, black and white. Colour version (all 37 photos in glorious colour) is now available at the price $US30, a price dictated by the CreateSpace production costs for small sales volumes. The colour version is named "Postcards from La Charente"

In Australia: Purchase direct from me for $AUD27.00 plus postage (colour version) ordering by email to bandvhughes@gmail.com

The Legend of the White Lady

The master of the Chateau de Puymartin returned somewhat early from the 100 Years War to find his wife, Terese de Saint Clar, in the arms of her lover. Being somewhat annoyed, the master slew the lover and locked poor Terese in the chateau tower bricking up the door to her cell. She was never to come out, food being lowered to her from a hatch in the ceiling. She died 15 later. She still did not come out; her body was walled up in the tower and remains there to this day.

Terese haunts the Chateau at night around midnight, walking down the steps from the tower to her husband's bedchamber.

How to Cook a Haunch of Venison

First buy drinks all round for the gentlemen Chasseurs and they might then present you with a Haunch of Venison.

"The venison is best cooked long and slow in a casserole. I cut the meat into large pieces and do it with a good bottle of heavy red wine, vegetables, herbs (thyme is good as is a little rosemary), loads of garlic and place in a slow oven for 3-4 hours. Discard the veg and herbs, strain and reduce the sauce to the consistency you like. At the last minute add a few squares of dark chocolate, don't let it boil, also good with a splash of cassis in the sauce. Voila! Votre diner...bon appetit"

Recipe courtesy of our house exchangee, Brian

Taking a Quiet Walk

It's 4.30 apres-midi. Val and I have just returned from a short constitutional down our lane. It's too muddy to take to the chemins, the traditional country rights of way as jealously guarded here from enclosure as in Britain. (The last time we tried the chemin Val came home with a very muddy derriere!)

A 30 minutes leisurely stroll out and back. Beautiful skyscape of blue with a close patchwork of stunningly huge cumulus clouds, white on grey on blue. Rolling landscape of closely cultivated fields without any fencing whatsoever. On the whole walk we saw just one farmer in his garden (bonjour monsieur....bonjour in reply), not one other person, not one car on the road. Lovely afternoon sunshine with a lazy breeze to remind us that it is still officially winter.

Home now...set the fire...pour a glass of Cote de Rhone red. Yes, I know it should be a gutsy Bordeaux but we prefer the Rhone....don't tell anyone back here, please.

The Anglo Presence in Le Charente

Don't get me wrong...while there is certainly evidence of enclave living, we have also met les anglais who seem to open themselves to the fuller French experience. To our very limited experience, these "full immersion" Brits seem to be more laid back and down-to-earth. We have joined a language club, so to speak (nice pun!) where English, and now 2 Aussies, and French people interact. It's great fun!

FACT FILE or In Prospective:

123,000 French people live in the UK

153,000 Brits live in France

Not huge figures considering populations of over 60M in each country.

Paris aside, most British live on the lower west coast area i.e. Aquitane and Poitou-Charente and also the midi-Pyrenees.

Explanation: good weather with lots of sunshine and good quality cheaper housing.

Sources: The Guardian Jan 2012

French-Property.com

PINEAU

Pineau is a regional French aperitif, from the departments of Charente-Maritime and the Charente. It’s a fortified wine made from blending lightly fermented grape juice and Cognac eau-de-vie. Perhaps oddly, the year of the pineau depends on the year of the eau de vie, not the grape juice. The juice must be freshly squeezed from freshly picked grapes. Eau de vie is a clear colorous fruit brandy, hence the reference to cognac. (Wikipedia reference acknowledged)

The taste is sweet and syrupy. Quite pleasing on a winter’s day.

Wednesday, 11 January 2017

Postcards from The Charente...now available as a Really Great Book

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