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NewsletterApril 2012 Follow me on twitter or check out my facebook page. The Voie Verte in Late WinterThe above photo was taken on the Voie Verte bike path in Southern Burgundy near Cormatin, best known for its Châteaux. Most of the Voie Verte was once railway lines, now converted into a bike path. What's great about the Voie Verte is that it's closed to cars and long enough that you don't get lots of traffic. It zigzags from the far west of Southern Burgundy starting in Cronat, then goes south to Paray-le-Monial, then north to Remigny, passing by Le Creusot TGV station (one hour and 18 minutes from Paris).Once in Remigny it goes south again to Macon and then ends along the Saône River. ToulouseI'm sure all of you heard about the killings in Toulouse and the standoff with the killer that ensued. Needless to say this event shocked France and changed the complexity of the presidential election, that was suspended for a few days. But it quickly heated up again. President Nicolas Sarkozy is proposing a new law, making it illegal to repeatedly visit web sites that support terrorism. Also hard-line clerics would be banned from entering France. Election IIFrance has a rather interesting presidential election system. To get on the ballot candidates need signatures of 500 elected officials, out of 47,000 . For 2012 the official candidates are Eva Joly, Marine Le Pen, Nicolas Sarkozy, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Philippe Poutou, Nathalie Arthaud, Jacques Cheminade, François Bayrou, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan and François Hollande. The most notable name missing is Dominique de Villepin, who couldn't get the needed 500 signatures. Free Tax EbookBarron Harper from Barron's International Tax Service is offering his 30 page ebook free to Americans in France readers. Barron specializes in doing tax returns for expats and this ebook covers questions like who must file a US tax return, what forms to use and filing deadlines. PodcastIt's been a busy month with Podcasting. I talked with Americans Harvey Morgan and Nancy Dawson. Harvey lives in Talence near Bordeaux and Nancy lives in St Avit-Senieur in the Dordogne. Harvey has just started a blog. Mail BoxEat Smart in France: A culinary travel guidebook for eating in France. Covering restaurant dining, home cooking and shopping in a local produce market in France. AdvertisementsArtémis en Provence: In the heart of Provence and the ochre that gives its name to the village of Roussillon, Artemis en Provence is an environmentally-friendly solar house with two self-catering rental units designed to also welcome visitors with physical and visual handicaps. The two apartments of 40m2 are entirely equipped. Dine or have drinks on your shaded terrace. Contemplate the stars. Tinkle the ivories, jump on the trampoline. Guidebooks and maps suggest sites and trails. Four bikes are available for guests’ use. The enclosed swimming pool measures 12 by 5 meters. There is a floatation device for physically challenged guests. You may arrange for guide service as well as for meals to be delivered. Apt with its Saturday market and Lacoste, where Pierre Cardin has succeeded to the Marquis de Sade, are fifteen minutes away, Avignon and La Roque d’Anthéron within an hour, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and Marseille an hour and a half, making Artemis en Provence convenient for the summer festivals and for seasoned cyclists to ascend the Mt. Ventoux (1909 m.) Golf, horseback riding, acro-branch, observatory, and hot-air balloon ascension, pottery, and painting nearby. Gay friendly. Open year ‘round. Domaine la Fontaine: B&B and cottages in the beautiful Charente-Maritime. Domaine la Fontaine is situated at the edge of the small village of Soubran in Southwest France. Domaine la Fontaine is in a peaceful area, with an impressive view over a large valley, where one can enjoy the things that make life worthwhile. Five fully renovated rooms, each with individual bathroom (1 with bath), tasteful furnishings, in a charming 19th century Charentaise House. Cosy salon (TV, fireplace, piano etc.) for common use. Four comfortable and cosy gîtes (cottages). For all guests there is a large garden, a heated swimming pool, parking and free WiFi. A few times a week we offer dinner and you are more than welcome to join us. Dinner is of course accompanied by a good glass of wine. Domaine la Fontaine is in the Charente-Maritime department, a beautiful region with a wide range of activities (Atlantic coast, Bordeaux, famous wineries, nature, village markets, golf courses, etc). We speak your language. Follow @jeffsteiner
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