Wednesday 16 December 2020

House for sale in Varen

House for sale in Varen, Tarn et Garonne, a priviliged position, away from the main road surrounded by fields but only two steps away from the centre and all amenities. A warm sunny house with every window double glazed, the floor between the sous sol with 6 inches of insulation. Radiators with a Weismann boiler, boiler and radiators all just serviced. Electricity renewed through out with extra points with, all to norm. ( cost over 7,000 euros ) just this year.
The well fenced garden is well stocked with 3 plum, 3 pear, one cherry, one big walnut tree, grape vines  along one wall and two wonderful purple figs. Many established and newly planted rose trees, peonies , iris, muguet. 1,360 m2
A good sized shed for garden equipment. Large drive with plenty of parking, double gates and a further entrance gate further up in the wall at the front of the house.
In a village with renowned restaurant,bar,supermarket,hairdresser, maison de sante, pharmacy. Market and friperie Saturday morning
199,000 euros



















Tuesday 15 December 2020

Happy Christmas from Mains Tendues 82


Really pleased that our association Mains Tendues 82 in Varen can send 750 euros to help buy shoes for children in an unimaginably terrible refugee camp in Lesvos.
Imagine  your child in conditions like these with ill fitting flip flops and crocs on their little feet. 
We have also sent 500 euros to Pas sans Toit an association which  helps people living on the streets in Montauban, many of them refugees.
Yet another 500 euros to an association in Toulouse which also helps people living on the streets.
Along with local donations,we have donated to associations in Varen and Verfeil.
The spirit of Christmas is with us and all our helpers wish you and yours a very Happy Christmas. Let’s all continue working for others less fortunate.

Tuesday 1 December 2020

Spread the love and keep dancing

Let’s keep dancing through it all
We have so much to be thankful for
Enjoy each day and spread the love 💖



Saturday 14 November 2020

Au revoir Therèse Gautier

Today I will go and sign a book of condolences for Therèse Gautier
A service is being held in the small church at Selgues which Therèse spent the last years of her life raisong money to restore
Strangely this dvd popped up top of a pile yesterday and I remember her giving it to Malc to thank him for all his help
It shows the regard local people hold her in as I have a list of people to add their names to the book
The service is at 10.30am





Tuesday 10 November 2020

Therese Gautier,who restored the church at Selgues has died

Many of you may know the little church at Selgues which was restored by one energetic elderly lady who worked tirelessly over the years arranging concerts to raise money to restore the church. I was sad tonight to hear of her death,Malc and she where good friends. He was a big help to Therese helping her with posters, booklets and advertising. 
I have many memories of delicious meals at her house in Verfeil.
Rest in peace Therese Gautier
The church will be safe now so well restored and will be your legacy 💖

bonjour,

nous avons appris le décès de Thérèse Gautier. Une cérémonie aura lieu samedi à 1OH30 au cimetière de Selgues.
 Ce ne sera pas une messe, juste une bénédiction ( des prières).

Nous serons là René et moi.

Merci de donner l'information à des personnes qui la connaissaient.

Amitiés

Nadette

Wednesday 4 November 2020

Christmas is not cancelled



Christmas isn't cancelled!
I am still making my Christmas cakes but will be selling online this year.
They make great gifts or a tasty treat for yourselves.
You can collect from Septfonds or I will arrange some drop off points, likely Varen and St Antonin.
I also hope to be selling at the Chat's de Quercy shop in Bourg-de-Visa 12th December.
All my cakes will be featured on my website https://www.cakesinfrance.com/christmas
You can order anything you see on there or send me a specific request
Please feel free to share with your friends - let's make this Christmas enjoyable

Love Glynis

Saturday 31 October 2020

Happy Halloween


There I was in the garden when .... the elastic snapped
Happy Halloween, stay cheerful

Thursday 29 October 2020

Tuesday 27 October 2020

The Aveyron in Varen


Painting in acrylic by my brother in law Tudor Powell
Thanks Tudor

Wednesday 21 October 2020

Doctors coming and going and a good optician in St. Antonin

So we have a new remplacent Doctor in Varen called Dr De Vries.
What a good job, as I am told by a reader that Dr Trann will soon have closed his surgery in Laguepie. There is an English speaking Doctor in St. Antonin who if not already,  will be overloaded soon.
I have had a very pleasant visit to the optician in the halle in St.Antonin this morning. What a nice guy who has been installed there for nearly a year and a half.
I needed some new distance glasses and he was able to take the prescription from my sun glasses to make a new pair.
He also did some minor repairs to my reading glasses for free.
He complimented me on my French, ( which went down well ) and he told me in the summer one of every two customers were English who did not speak French. He had come from a practise in Gaillac where  there were few English clients so he said he rapidly had to brush up on his English
I was very impressed.
Since posting I have learned the optician is the son of well known and respected Gerard Narjoux of Espinas
Dr Trann is moving to Marseille, his wife died of cancer some months ago
The new Doctor is Dutch and speaks English
taglines82@gmail.com

Lost an iphone in Varen ?

Has anyone lost an Apple iphone in Varen
If you have or know of someone who has it is in the Mairie

Bonjour Valérie, quelqu'un a déposé dans la boîte aux lettres de la mairie un téléphone Iphone Apple appartenant à un anglophone, les paramètres sont en anglais. Peut-être pourriez vous faire circuler l'info dans vos contacts ?!
Merci.

Thursday 15 October 2020

It is being demolished to rebuild


Today they are starting demolishing the restaurant that partly burnt down, Les Deux Rivieres at Laguepie.
Bernard Mages, councillor at Laguepie tells us it will be rebuilt.

Merci à Bienvenue a Laguepie

25 ans que cet hôtel restaurant est implanté à laguépie...une institution chez nous !

Une grosse pensée pour Gisèle et Pascal Doucet qui patientent depuis presque 2 ans (1 ans et 10 mois) pour la reconstruction du bâtiment après ce terrible incendie à la veille de Noël en 2018.

Les travaux commencent ! 🚧💪

Longue vie aux Deux Rivieres !

Wednesday 14 October 2020

Good bye to local stalwarts


This week end our area says goodbye to John Dawson and Susan Dawson.
What a loss they will be to the area.
I am not sure exactly how long they have had a second home here but is probably more than 30 years. I rembered when they moved from Najac to St.Antonin.
John has built up a superb archive of old photographs of the area, his attention to detail, has made it an awesome collection. In the past he helped raise money for Mains Tendues by selling the power point presentation. We did well and everyone loved them.
John is also renowned for his knowledge of the walks in the area and has been running a very popular local walking group.
He intends to carry on planning walks for the group from the Uk
A nicer couple you are unlikely to meet and I along with others will be sad to see them go.
Both John and Susan say they will be back for holidays another year.
Safe journey and bon resettlement in the Uk.
taglines82@gmail.com

Did you know we have otters in the river ?

This afternoon in the Salle des fetes in Varen
A talk with pictures of animals of and along the river including local otters
2.30

Tuesday 13 October 2020

Monday 12 October 2020

Opening more hours


Remember Mains Tendues in Varen is now open
Wed, Thurs,Fri afternoons 3 to 5 ( Sat morning of course too )
But if you want a bit of style advice come in Wednesday and I will be on hand to give you advice as I did to these ladies on how to be fashionable
See you Wednesday I hope 💕

Saturday 10 October 2020

Open all hours


Mains Tendues 82
  Varen
The team are up for change
In our lovely new surroundings we are all keen to extend opening hours
So from Wednesday 14 th of October, these are our new times
Wednesday 15 h to 17 h
Thursday.     15 h to 17 h
Friday.           15 h to 17 h
Saturday morning 9 to 12
As well as giving you more shopping, browsing time, it will give YOU the chance to bring in all your donations ( donations, the thing that makes us tick )
Parking is no problem and we are always on hand to help you unload.
We all LOVE what we do, come and join us as part of the team by buying and donating.
YOU are our dynamo.
Terence Harker took the photo

We are now taking in good quality ladies winter clothes.

Bernard Mages



Thursday 8 October 2020

Oops,one too many


Oh God it is me
Who took the photo?

17h30: retour du marché de St Antonin après un passage d’une durée indéterminée au Café de la Halle. Ça parle á quelqu’un ? 🤪🙃🤣

Wednesday 7 October 2020

From Sue Glibbery, Poorpaws

From Susan Glibbery, Poorpaws
Dear Faithful Book Lovers and Book Sale Attendees !

I am so happy to confirm that, barring any further restrictions, your favourite book sale will go ahead as planned on Saturday 17th October AND Sunday 18th October !

There will, of course, be a few necessary changes.  Masks will be obligatory and hand sanitisers will be in good supply around the hall.  There will be separate entry and exit doors and we are working on a double one way system hoping not to make you look as though you are doing a weird Scottish Reel or the Hokey Cokey !

No parking in front of the hall, except for disabled.  There is a large village car park to the right of the hall (if you are face on) which is less than a two minute walk.

WE  CANNOT  ACCEPT  BOOKS  ON  THE  DAY, so please don't bring any.  Should you have books you want to donate, speak to me on the day and I will collect asap ready for the Spring Sale.

There will be, as usual, a great selection of books and dvds, along with cds.  Books and dvds one euro each (box sets 50 cents per disc) cds 50 cents.  Please make sure all discs are there before purchasing.  If they are not, tell me and I will deal severely with quality control - moi !

The very popular home made book bags will be there as well as lovely keyrings - both good Christmas stocking fillers - AND (sorry !) Christmas cards.

On Saturday 17th tea, coffee and the usual yummy cakes will be on offer and the increasingly popular veggies samosas.  No lunches, sorry.  All cups and plates will be 100% disposable and recyclable.  If you prefer to bring your own coffee mug, please do so - so long as it is not a pint one !

This year we are trying a two day sale to see how it goes.  Sunday 18th will be slightly different in that there will just be tea/coffee and biscuits (plus any cakes/samosas left over from Saturday - in your dreams !) with books, dvds and cds at half price.

So, Salle des Fetes, St. Pantaleon, Lot, 10 am to 2 pm, Saturday 17th October AND Sunday 18th October.  Do desperately hope you will support us as usual, the money support tins are getting frighteningly empty and, anyway, your Book Sales Team misses you !

With love from the whole team,

Sue x

Monday 5 October 2020

Book swap restarting, in November at the Gazpacho 2nd of November 10.30 am

Having got this reply from a St. Antonin councillor, i think we could start the book swap again with mask whilst looking at books which will be on tables outside
It will not go idea if raining or Covid rules change
Please only bring two or three books as I do not want to have loads of books to dump afterwards.

Hi val,
As far as I can see there are no objections against doing that. Just contact the gazpacho and I think it will be possible. Present COVID19 rules don't forbid it. 
Hans 

Wednesday 23 September 2020

A good day today


View down to the river today from the top floor, the frip in Varen
I look at this tonight and feel grateful
Because of a little fun work at Mains Tendues, you bring us great things to sell , then we can use the money directly to help others.
Today we have helped to save some donkeys threatened with the abbatoir
 But more importantly we are sending money to Lesvos to help feed families stuck in terrible conditions.
Keep donating to us, we use your money wisely for humans or animals in need.
Thank you, thank you from all 
our great team.



Monday 7 September 2020

English lessons in Montauban

Hello Val. How are you? I wonder if you know a teacher who could be interested in joining Anglais 82 to give English lessons in Montauban. The person must be a native speaker and ideally with a teacher formation. The job is paid and also the kilométrage. Someone who knows the spirit of an association. Do you know somebody. 
Love. Corinne Lacoste
Val says, pass your message to me to be delivered, if you are interested.
taglines82@gmail.com

Monday 31 August 2020

New signs up in Varen


New signs up beyond the Moulin at Varen
I was told by a local that a young boy had been hurt and taken to hospital after jumping into the water chute a few weeks ago.
The gendarmes were called and he was taken  to hospital
When I was last there a young man was climbing high up a tree and jumping into the water chute... an accident waiting to happen.
This is the benefit of having lifequards which Laguepie has.

First snow on the Pyrenees this morning



Tuesday 25 August 2020

Give a helping hand


In our life at some point we all need help.
You never known when it will be, you may think it will not be you who will need help, but one never knows what is round the corner.
By helping others one suddenly discovers every person you help in turn wants to help someone else.
In the frip we have people we have helped, who in turn think, I want to do that, give someone hope and make them happy.
Denise who I am sure will not mind me saying is 84 years old. She has worked hard for two days helping to organise the sales of goods for one euro
Today she knew I was cooking lunches for my refugee boys and she said “Val I am going to cook lunch for them tomorrow and I will make sure it is not pork.”
Denise and friend Myriam Dubois have worked with the young refugee men and made them feel at home and relaxed. How wonderful it is when you get someone who is 50 years older being so caring and kind.
I am proud of the team we have, each person brings an empathy and caring.
I could write about each one and tell you just how caring they are but today it is beautiful Denise who touches our hearts.

Grand sale, everything one euro


Mains Tendues 82

notre belle Denise.
elle travaillera vendredi
15 h à 17 h
et samedi 9 à 12
tous pour collecter des fonds pour les personnes et les animaux qui ont besoin de notre aide.
alors que nous déménageons des bâtiments, toujours dans le centre de Varen, nous faisons une VENTE
tout est resté dans l'ancien hôtel UN euro
couettes, draps, vaisselle, verre taillé.
tu dois venir
Photo Terence Harker

Sunday 23 August 2020

A disgraceful act

Vandals have scrawled graffiti denying the Holocaust on a wall in the village that was the site of the Nazis’ biggest massacre of civilians in France during the second world war.

The justice minister vowed on Saturday to bring those responsible to justice.

Officials in Oradour-sur-Glane, near Limoges in central France, put up a tarpaulin to cover the graffiti discovered on Friday on the wall at the entrance to the Centre de la Mémoire (Centre for Remembrance). The word “lie” was scrawled on the wall, along with other graffiti, according to the regional paper Le Populaire du Centre. The inscription “Village Martyr” was crossed out.

Taglines82@gmail.com

Monday 17 August 2020

Yet another bad accident

Val, juste à l'extérieur de Milhars, une voiture a tiré sur la route et a atterri sur la voie ferrée. Les gendarmes et pompiers sont là. Et une ambulance. Je pense que le conducteur a dû être grièvement blessé ou même tué.
Je viens de recevoir ceci à mon bureau de presse

Val, just outside Milhars, a car has shot off the road and landed down on the railway line. Gendarmes and pompiers are there. And an ambulance. I think the driver must have been badly injured or even killed.
Just received this to my news desk
taglines82@gmail.com

Saturday 15 August 2020

A happy moment

Val Johnstone ces Ingrid Parmentier pense tu qu'on pourrait faire quelque chose pour remercier nos pompiers ils le méritent bien

Thats the message I received from Ingrid Parmentier
She really wanted to help our local pompiers after their amazing and courageous work putting out a fire that ravaged 80 hectares of land
We at Mains Tendues agreed with her. So we arranged a visit to the Pompiers with a suprise and a cheque, Ingrid presented the cheque and the suprise? Well its our little secret,but I can say they were pleased. 
Ingrids son Mateo also came on the visit, a young boys dream to be in the caserne.
Terence Harker took this photo.

Ludovic Sirmen au nom des Sapeurs-pompiers de Laguepie :

🚒 L' ensemble des Sapeurs-Pompiers de LAGUÉPIE remercie chaleureusement l'association Mains Tendues 82 et Igrid Parmentier, pour leurs dons à l'amicale. 
Il est important de mettre à l'honneur cette association qui œuvre au quotidien avec des actions de solidarité et de générosité envers la population, par le biais de dons comme c'est le cas aujourd'hui pour la caserne de LAGUÉPIE , mais également avec leur friperie à Varen. Encore MERCI ! 👏

Nous remercions également les habitants et la commune de  Varen pour leurs soutiens humains et logistiques tout au long de l incendie . 👏




Wednesday 12 August 2020

The fire at Lexos







Photos Sapeurs pompiers de Laguepie
15 houses were evacuated, 5 pompiers were injured, many hectares burnt.
The ground is tinder dry.
Be careful lighting fires.
taglines82@gmail.com

Monday 10 August 2020

Fire at Lexos

https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/occitanie/tarn-et-garonne/montauban/tarn-garonne-98-pompiers-mobilises-incendie-proximite-champ-panneaux-photovoltaiques-1861824.html 



Saturday 8 August 2020


The ups and ups of Mains Tendues
Next week will see our last week end in the Old Hotel in Varen,

We have been very happy there and thrived, even with the building being in a bit of a state ( to say the least ) The owners now need to have the roof and chimneys made safe .
We have had super  items to sell and we have sold and sold whilst there.
We have a great team, always willing to help and have ideas, we are growing into a really international group.
The good news, although we will not be in the same position,  we will  in the building  next to us ,the old town hall and taking over all of the building.
We may need to be closed for two or three weekends until we get the stock transfer done and this is when we might need your help.
We will be doing dechetterie runs, packing, moving carpets, goods, shelves, tables, indeed everything we have.
If you can help us after August 23 th contact us, all help gratefully received.
We are on course if all goes as it should to BUY the building. The thought of being a permanent fixture in Varen, always here to help makes us so excited.
We are planning on a fund raiser so we can buy the old mairie totally but may need some extra funds . Anyone who wants to donate can contact us for bank details or where to send a cheque to.
We are also going to do a fundraiser on line.
But basically if you can donate time or money to Mains Tendues , to help others we would be so happy.
Love Val , Terence, Sarah and Jill, the bureau at Mains Tendues 82
taglines82@ gmail.com

Every Wed esday on show at Laguepie



Do not drink and drive.

Driving with more than 0.8g/l of alcohol in the blood can lead to a two-year jail sentence, a three-year driving ban or installing an EAD in the vehicle, and a fine of up to €4,500. The above punishment can also be handed out to anyone who refuses to take a breathalyser test.
Be careful everyone if you are thinking of drinking and driving.
The penalties in France can be severe. 
 Posting because of a local accident where car drivers were injured.

Wednesday 5 August 2020

Worth going to see

Exposition Nicole Pfund 
du 1er au 23 août
Place de l'Hôpital 81140 Castelnau de Montmiral
Ouvert tous les jours  11h-13h // 15h-19h