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On this page there are places to visit and other useful information such as links to other websites.

Note Current GT Events Diary has moved to the Home Page.

Forum

Get together Forum. The forum is available to GT MEMBERS ONLY who have paid their current years subscription. You can access it from the link on the navigation bar above. Non members can view the forum but will not be able to either post a subject or reply to any existing posts.

In order to use it you will need to register with a pseudonym and password. The reason for a pseudonym is to maintain anonymity as has been the policy for the website. If you want to register at a different email address than the one we have on record for you please email info@getogether-france.org in advance as our system will reject unrecognised email addresses. You will then have to wait while account activation by the administrator group is carried out. You will be informed by email when your account has been activated, normally this will be within 24 hours, If you have not received a confirmation email you can send an email to info@getogether-france.org heading 'Forum Registration'. If you have any other queries regarding operation of the forum you can use this e-mail address for your enquiries.

Once registered you can access all the various subjects headings, make posts of new subjects and add your comments to previously posted items. In addition, you can send Private Messages (PM) to any one who has either posted an item or is a registered user.
This also applies to responses to the Sales, Wants and Give-aways.

With the introduction of the forum some items in the website will become redundant, where this is the case you will be directed to the forum to find the relevant item.

Cancer Support in France

Cancer Support offers help and support to those affected by cancer IN TOTAL CONFIDENCE.For further information please go to their website following this link.
Click here
Right clicking your mouse will give you the choice of opening their site in a new window or tab.

or ring June Searchfield, President of Cancer Support Deux Sèvres.
Tel no. 05 49 64 59 96 or e-mail junesearchfield@gmail.com

European Health Insurance Card

From the 1st May anyone receiving a UK state pension will need to have a EHIC issued by the UK. Those to whom this applies will in due course receive communication from "The Pension Service"

Enquiries should be addressed to :-
Overseas Healthcare Team
The Pension Service
Room TC001
Tyneview Park
Whitley Road
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE98 1BA
England
tel +44 191 218 1999 (Monday to Friday 8am-5pm UK Time)

How to reclaim UK Bank and Building Society Interest.

1. Ask your Bank or Building society to provide a Section 975 certificate for each account bearing interest for each year you wish to reclaim. Currently you can only claim backwards from 6/4/2003/5/4/2004.

2. Download or request from the address below Form R43
(Forms are available from UK tax year 2003/4 onwards.)
Each years form is only valid for the appropriate year.
Downloaded forms are in PDF format and can be completed on screen. You cannot save the completed form in your computer, therefore you need to print copies before quitting. It is suggested that you make at least one copy for your records.

3. Attach the Section 975 certificate to the R43 and forward them to:-
HM Revenue & Customs Residency
Fitz Roy House
PO Box 46
Nottingham
NG2 1BD
Angleterre

Tel +44 151 210 2222

You can request the Forms R43 from this office.

4. It is possible that it will take up to 6 months for your claim to be processed so it is useless to call them before at least 6 weeks have passed.

Rosalia Alpina Beetle

We have been very fortunate to observe and photograph a Rosalia Alpina beetle on the 15 July 2008. This was first seen on our wood pile, and then it crawled across the drive, and then flew off.

These are a very rare, protected species.

Further information can be found by following this link
Click here

Donate a bowl of rice for Free

You can learn some new English words and help feed the 3rd world. Do take a look and play the game.
Free Rice

"Accents" for parents who wish to maintain their childrens English

We are a new association called Accents based in Civray. We have been created by local parents who are passionate about maintaining their children's English (both written and spoken). We are looking at ways of reaching all the local Anglophone families. We are a not-for-profit association under loi 1901. If you would like to see a little bit more about us, please visit our website at www.accents-asso.fr

Open Door -Civray

18 rue Pierre Pestureau
Open Door (Assoc La Porte Ouverte) provides support for people with long term illness and their carers.
Every Wednesday morning we have a 'drop-in' where everyone is welcome and a lending library of over 4000 English language books & 250 DVD's and Video's. These are available all day Wednesday and Friday 10-12 am. There is also a 24hr Helpline for bereavement/family crises/addiction and loneliness Tel: 0549879736. Why not call in for a coffee and find out more or e-mail Lynn & Tony at thelittlehouse@wanadoo.fr or have a look at their
website www.opendoor-civray.com

Links to some interesting websites

The Pays de Gatine covers a large part of Deux Sevres and has a really good and useful website a large part of which is in English. It is of most use to those who live in their area but also has useful general information.
click here

Many of our members are also members of 'Les jardiniers du Poitou' and if you want more information from them, here is a link to their website.
click here

British Embassy in Paris Passport information page
Click Here

Total France - Anything and everything to do with France on a Forum. www.totalfrance.com

Angloinfo - Everything you need for life in France!
www.angloinfo.com

A new site with information for the Poitou Charentes area.
www.poitou-charentes-life.com

The IGN Institut Géographique has released version 2 of its Geoportail view of France from the air. The initial view is over Paris, but its very easy to navigate to anywhere. http://www.geoportail.fr/5061750/visu2D/voir.htm

The Connexion - France in English

The Connexion is a monthly newspaper which will keep you up-to-date with what is happening in France.

www.connexionfrance.com

We are indebted to Michael Horn for the following:-

If you want to get extensive up-to-date information on certain questions, Michael has at your disposition (pomhorn@free.fr) the following papers:

Checklist for settling in France (when you arrive in your new home) (7 pages)
Donations (and tax impact) and how to use them. (9 pages)
Succession Précis. (16 pages)
Death checklist - no red tape nightmare with links to standard French letters. (15 pages)

These are not supposed to be a substitute for any legal offices, but only a necessary preinformation that will allow you to understand what one may suggest to you.

European Health Insurance Card

Replacement of the E111 Form by The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

It would appear that it is not widely known that the E111 form is no longer valid. You will need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC entitles you to reduced-cost, sometimes free, medical treatment that becomes necessary while you’re in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.
In France the EHIC is known as the Carte Europeenne D’Assurance Maladie and is available through CPAM

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France

If you are travelling around you may like to visit some of these villages so do look at their website for more information on each of the 149 villages in 65 different Départements.
http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org

Places to visit

Angles sur l'anglin – A grand day out.

This is one of the most beautiful villages in France, located to the east of Poitiers, on the banks of the river Anglin. It has been awared «3 Fleurs» in the section «Villages Fleuris». In the 'Roc aux Sourciers' there are carvings dating back 14,000 years. The fortress, now ruined, located on the clifftop overlooking the village, was built between the XII and XV centuries. During the 100 years war the fortress was attacked and taken by the English who built a causeway behind the castle. In addition, there are many interesting buildings within the village, medieval streets and many stuning views across the valley. Further information from www.anglessuranglin.com

Parthenay
This town in the heart of the Gâtine is well worth a visit. Dating from the prehistoric, Parthenay sits on a rocky outcrop in a meander of the river Thouet and is important forits mediaeval connections. There are many historic sites including the rue de la Vau Sant-Jacques, principal artery of the mediaeval village. Parthenay also hosts many cultural and social events; one of the most popular is ‘Le festival des jeux’ which takes place in July when the whole of the centre of the town is transformed into an enormous open-air games exhibition where over 1,000 games, ranging from games of chance and logic, to traditional and multimedia, are available for the public to try out and play. Market day is Wednesday morning and there are plenty of traditional shops and restaurants in the town.
Contact: www.tourisme.fr/office-de-tourisme/parthenay/

Coulon
Coulon, capital of the Venise-Verte, is a delightful town on the banks of La Sèvre Niortaise in the Marais Poitevin. From Coulon boats are available for hire, either with or without a guide, to tour the waterways of the Marais. At the heart of the French Atlantic coast, the marshland known as the Marais Poitevin lies in the area of a former sea gulf that has been developed by man over the past ten centuries. Here, the earth and the waters mix, forming landscapes that inspire poets and fascinate artists. This is a fabulous area, rich in unique natural sites and original traditions. Further information from www.ville-coulon.fr

Fontevraud – Abbay royale
Abbey from 1101 until 1792, state prison from 1804 until 1963, nowadays Fontevraud is a cultural meeting centre. It is of particular interest to English visitors as it is the resting place of Henry II and his wife Queen Eleanor and their son Richard the Lionheart. The heart of their son King John Lackland, his son, and the heart of King Henry III, his grandson were also brought to the Abbey. Four splendid polychrome recumbent figures are still in the church representing Henry II, Eleanor and Richard, all three carved in stone, while the statue of Isabella of Angoulême, Henry II’s daughter-in-law, is made of wood. There is much to see at Fontevraud which is one of the biggest restoration sites in France. Check out the web site for details of events. www.abbaye-fontevraud.com

Gardens & Parks
Parc Floral de la Court d’Aron, Saint-Cyr-en-Talmondais 85540 Vendée www.domaine-de-lotus-prl.com
Les Jardins de Compostelle, Lac du Bois Fleuri, 17250 Trizay
Jardin du Val de Flore, Le Bourg, 79310 Soutiers www.cc-pays-sud-gatin.fr
Le Jardin des Olfacties, 85220 Coëx, Vendée www.lejardindesolfacties.com
Les Chemins de la Rose, Parc de Courcilpleu, Route de Cholet, 49700 Doué la Fontaine
Jardin de Chirons, Le Rocher Branlant, Largeasse, Deux Sevres

The Rules of Belot

BELOTE

If you wish to print these rules click on the Word doc icon below the text.

Card game with 4 players. 2 partners. Use only 32 cards. Ace to 7.
AIM: to win tricks as in whist but with a difference, in that the order of superiority of the cards varies according to whether they are trumps or not. Also, each card scores points which are added up at the end of each hand. Game is 12 hands.

TRUMPS = ATOUTS
1. Jack =20 points
2. Nine =14 "
3. Ace=11 "
4. Ten=10 "
5. King= 4 "
6. Queen=3 "
7. 8=0 "
8. 7=0 "
NOT TRUMPS
1. Ace= 11 points
2. Ten= 10 "
3. King= 4 "
4. Queen=3 "
5. Jack= 2 "
6. 9=0 "
7. 8=0 "
8. 7= 0 "

There are 10 extra points for winning the last trick.

The cards are NOT shuffled but cut by the player to the right of the dealer and are dealt clockwise 3 at a time and then 2 at a time and the next card turned up in the centre.

Starting with the player on the left of the dealer, each takes it in turn to consider if he can use the turned up card with the cards in his hand to make that suit trumps and therefore to win the trick. The player who feels he can do that calls, using the name of the suit, takes the centre card and the dealer deals the remaining cards. Two to the caller and 3 to everyone else. If you cannot call you say “Une”. If no one can make trumps with that suit, each in turn again considers if he can win the hand using a different suit as trumps and if so, will call the suit that will be trumps, takes the centre card and the dealer deals the remaining cards as before.

If you cannot call in this round you say “Deux”.

If no one can call with either round then the cards are gathered in, cut and redealt.

PLAY
Player to the left of the dealer starts. Players must follow suit if able. If not, the side losing the trick at the time has to play a trump if they have one. If the next player cannot follow suit either; he is obliged to trump, using a higher trump if he has one. If the player’s partner is winning the trick at the time and he cannot follow suit then he may throw away.

It is important for the team that called the trumps to get them played ASAP by leading trumps. This will stop the opposition from trumping in. If possible it is wise to save a trump for the last trick as there are 10 extra points for the winner.

SCORING
Each card is added according to its value, see above. Scores are marked up or down to the nearest 10. Total scores add up to 160, if the side that called trumps scores less than half they lose their points to the other side. If one side wins all the tricks they score 250.
Add up totals after 12 games.
Play 3 lots of 12 games and add the final scores together for the overall winner.
Suits are Diamonds = Carreaux. Hearts – Coeurs. Spades = Piques. Clubs = Trefles.
Ace = Ace. King = Roi. Queen = Dame. Jack = Valet.

BELOTE.doc

The Rules of Tarot

French Tarot.pdf

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