News and views from the Tarn, Aveyron and Tarn and Garonne corner of South West France. taglines82@gmail.com
Monday, 31 July 2017
Nous sommes le lundi trente et un juillet
Alarming tractors
Was this "humanitarian" action thought up by farmers, or the SPA? No it was the federation de chasse - after all what would hunters do if all the animals had been killed by accident.
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Sunday, 30 July 2017
Good year for plums - bad for grapes
Melons were over-produced and were dumped or sold at a loss and frost and hail in the spring has damaged many grape vines, threatening the harvests in the Lot.
But the harvest of the delicious reine claude plums (greengages) is in full swing and our black plums will be ripe in abundance in a week. Promises a good production of prunes (pruneaux d'Agen), a major export of the area.
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Boxes to Holland
Where/how do you think I can find someone driving to Holland/Belgium who wants to take 3 cartons with books we need for a project In Brussels?
I am in Varen this week.
Saturday, 29 July 2017
The smell of France
Motocross from 11am today
All the fun of the fair
Nous sommes le samedi vingt neuf juillet
Friday, 28 July 2017
Jazz in Marciac
Details of the Gers location and concerts may be found on the website at http://www.jazzinmarciac.com/spectacles/jazz-in-marciac
Norah Jones at Marciac |
Thursday, 27 July 2017
Flippers to St. Antonin
Il y a des Anglais partout, partout
Street opera
Opera Clandestin |
Messing about on the river
Victor Hugo to close
The market is famous for the range and quality of foodstuffs on sale every morning; the first floor restaurants are incredibly popular with local workers and there are often queues for seats just before opening at noon. The car park is well placed in the city centre, but its spaces are often narrow and tricky to access.
But its complete closure from Sunday for the whole of August will not only deprive tourists and locals (though the latter are much reduced by the holidays) of a popular visit, but stall holders and restaurants of a month's revenue.
These last few days could be worth a visit as many stalls will be having sales of fresh food.
The city council say the works are necessary to renew the "hidden" infrastructure and that afterwards it will be much improved. Other works around the square are planned up to 2019.
Indoor stall at Victor Hugo: pic DDM |
Wednesday, 26 July 2017
A "mad deer" killed
The head of the local chasse got permission to shoot it out of season and after spending a morning tracking it finally managed to kill it.
He thought the reason for its behaviour could have been that it is the rutting season making it over-excited or possibly it was intoxicated after eating too much "la bourdaine" (we cannot find a translation for this - anybody know?).
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Readers reply:
Thank you all; should have used our reference books not the internet! Though there are pictures on Google and apparently the bark is a laxative and can be poisonous.
Is shortage of aircraft affecting the fires?
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Nous sommes le mercredi vingt six juillet
Tuesday, 25 July 2017
Huge fires in south east
La Bastidonne, Vaucluse 24th July. Photo J-P Petit/AFP |
800 hectares were ravaged around the town of La Bastidonne in Vaucluse and 4 pompiers were injured in the Var. More than 200 homes were evacuated during the various emergencies and pompiers continue to try to keep the fires in check.
The fire chief in Bouches du Rhone called on all residents and tourists to adopt a more responsible attitude regarding cigarettes, barbecues, camp fires and even forestry work, all of which present risks. And of course there are always deliberate fire-setters to be deplored.
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Humanity is in your soul
This story was sent to me by a French friend. The government in a town near to Tarbes had bought a hotel which was going to become a centre for 80 refugees. Overnight the Mayor gave the necessary authority for some locals to build a wall across the access entry. Now the wall cannot be knocked down till it goes through the courts at a huge expense in legal fees.
Where did they get the masons?
Not, you understand, that the villagers are opposed to migrants being re-settled, just that this is the wrong place and they think the hotel should not be closed.
The local maire has facilitated the action by approving the "permit de construire" in 24 hours. The group of villagers built the wall in one night. And we bet the refugees paid for it. (Trump take note).
Clearly those of us who have ever envisaged getting planning permission, finding a willing builder to do the work in the following six months and seeing it finished on time can only marvel at this commune's efficient mairie and artisans.
How did they do it? |
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Monday, 24 July 2017
Re: St Thomas of Canterbury
Ginny
Excellent swimming, good food
Swimming in the Viaur |
Tucking into crepes |
For many years now we and our visitors have loved going to Lagarde Viaur, close to St Andre de Najac, where the river is wide, shallow and clean, ideal for just messing about. And at hand is La Chataignerie an excellent little bar/creperie. Our youngsters love to splash about in the river then go to the bar for crepes (both savoury and sweet) and ice-cream.
La Chataignerie is open everyday from midday to midnight (Tuesday from 18h) in July, August and September. Evenings are animated by a jazz guitar duo and entry is free, though reservations are strongly advised. Food is organic and local wherever possible. In addition to crepes and ices there is a choice of salads. There is both open air (shaded) and indoor seating. No credit cards.
Call 0565 65 63 07 or 06 27 05 34 84
As an additional attraction to the rather picturesque location, the village church is dedicated to St Thomas a Becket.
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Guarding the beaches
9 kilometres of sand at the Mediterranean shore attract 200000 visitors per day and the mairie has recruited 22 lifeguards to patrol the beach from 9 watch posts.
The guards noticed that people still needed rescuing at lunchtime, so have been obliged to change their hours from 9-12.30 and 14.30-19h to provide a continuous cover from 11h - 19h. Outside those hours the mairie is not responsible, though, of course rescue services are available via the pompiers.
Le Barcares, Roussillon |
Garden workshops at the Abbaye de Beaulieu
Ring or email for details, but the events are open to all .abbaye.beaulieu@monuments-nationaux.fr
Sunday, 23 July 2017
Nous sommes le dimanche vingt trois juillet
After buying we notice on the packaging the milk from the cows is from Calabria but the cheese is made in the Lombardy region.
As some one commented " a little olive oil and a smidge of balsamic
vinegar" on tomatoes and of course they are right.
We do love French cheeses and we did buy a chunk of Cantal as well.
Froome to win Tour today
This will be Froome's third consecutive Tour victory and his fourth overall.
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Malc nearly bought plums
Two of our boys
If you go down in the woods...
A screen print of the bear. |
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Beautiful gardens on our doorstep
Saturday, 22 July 2017
Free to a good pond
Nuit des etoiles à Espinas
Comme chaque année depuis plus de 15 ans, des astronomes amateurs d’Espinas et Saint Antonin vous proposent une observation des étoiles le jeudi 27 juillet (il y aura des étoiles filantes, c’est commandé !!). Horaires : si l’on veut voir l’installation et le fonctionnement des télescopes et autres appareils, venir quand il fait encore jour à partir de 21h. Pour les étoiles dans le ciel nocturne venir vers 22h. Lieu : prairie de la ferme « la tour de Sicard », (82140 – sur la D75) au croisement des routes de Mordagne-Carrendier- Espinas. Gratuit ; "English spoken"; parking dans le champ. Pensez à apporter un lainage (24°C prévus) ou de quoi s’allonger au sol. Pour tout renseignement : siespinas@yahoo.fr ou 07.80.55.96.55
Nous sommes le samedi vingt deux juillet
My name is Martin Dear, we met briefly at the restaurant in Verfeil a couple of days ago
My brother in law who lives in Bruniquel has a site like you that is used by kestrels to raise a brood of chicks each year.
This year three fledglings successfully left the nesting site but he found one of them ten days later with an apparent broken wing. We managed to catch her and took her to the vet who x-rayed the wing and said it was not broken but probably sprained. He was advised to keep her in confinement and feed her raw chicken until the wing repaired.
Three days on we now have her as he is away for a few days but I am not very happy about keeping her in a cat box.
Do you by any chance know of a kestrel rescue society or the equivalent of the RSPB in the local area?
I am concerned that she will get weaker and weaker and then die if she is not looked after by someone with knowledge and experience
Any help very much appreciated
Kind regards
Martin
Bad judgement at Easyjet
The boy was taken from the flight and returned to Departures, from where his mother had already set off home. Eventually the young man arrived at Blagnac on a later flight, but arriving after midnight, with still a long trip by car to the grandparents' home.
The airline is suitably apologetic and has "opened an enquiry". A spokesperson said that on average they had 5 "no shows" per flight and so it does over-book. But to leave a child alone at a huge airport surely shows a complete lack of judgement. We hope young Mister Read has a good holiday regardless.
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Organic help for locals
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Friday, 21 July 2017
A 100 year old stove for sale, what a beauty
Riet Gerrits
Riet GERRITS <w.gerrits15@chello.nl>schreef:
Good afternoon,
A hint of Rio in St Antonin
Details on line at https://sap.festik.net/ |
Tobacconists "en colere"
A masked tobacconist blacks out a radar. |
Nous sommes le vendredi vingt et un juillet
Montricoux 22,23,24 July great local free feast
The association Montricoux (ADM) has decided to reorganize a local festival for 3 days with numerous fairground attractions and three concerts free admission. These festivities will take place at the lower door and in the courtyard of the château, Musée Marcel-Lenoir.
The program:
Friday, July 21 at 7:30 pm , aperitif / concert local discovery groups followed by RBBB royal bédoune blues band
Saturday, July 22 at 3 pm friendly pétanque contest in doublette followed at 20:30 of DJOKER SHOW music disco
Sunday, July 23 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm vide grenier, 10:00 am old cars show, 3:00 pm friendly petanque contest in triplet followed at 8:00 pm with a concert with D115 .
Come and see
Thursday, 20 July 2017
A few things happening in the area.
Army chief quits
With the government seeking cuts in all public spending the armed forces must bear their share, but France's military is heavily engaged overseas as well as dealing with the state of emergency here. Macron thinks it is the job of the Minister of Defence to make the case for the budget, in consultation with the generals and the treasury. A new chef has been appointed, 55 year old General Francois Lecointre, a veteran of many of French overseas missions, notably in Kosovo.
General Lecointre in Mali 2013 |
Lupins for food
First harvests of the lupins this week look promising and the crops will be mixed with other plants, such as flax, to provide a rich animal feed with 100% traceability.
Lupins growing near Albi |
A surfeit of melons
The problem is that many have matured at the same time and prices have dropped meaning many are being sold at a loss. The wholesale market at Moissac normally would receive 200 tons per day, but this week that figure has doubled. Some growers are dumping the crops and some are leaving them on the vine. We consumers can help by choosing from local growers when shopping as there are many cheap imports from Spain in the shops.
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Fruit trees are loaded this year
Wednesday, 19 July 2017
Helping the Figeac dog refuge
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=652019014992335&id=563586680502236
Caribbean calypso music
Buvette et petite restauration sur place.
En extérieur dans un trés joli cadre, couvert en cas de pluie.
Lieu-dit Les Camboulasses, fléchage depuis Salvagnac (81630).
Coordonnées GPS 3.948306 1.679649
Storm alert
Unnecessary journeys and outdoor activities are advised against, in case of lightning strikes, flash floods, hail or falling trees etc.
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