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The loi Notre was designed to streamline and improve what is essentially an ancien régime territorial administration. The paroisses of the pre-revolution era were almost entirely renamed as communes, leaving the local landed gentry as “elected representatives”.

Over the 18-plus years we have owned our home, we have had four mayors – all but one were local farmers and the first was also a senator.

Of the current team, seven of the 15 are farmers or have a farmer in their family, with just 18 farmers out of the total of 740 inhabitants. Four have resigned or died and of the remainder, one is British and back in the UK and another never attends meetings.

Communication and consultation are not necessarily part of French rural politics.

Peter MONCREIFFE, by email