Many readers will be familiar with the old phosphate mines and the so-called dinosaur beach at Crayssac and other sites in the Lot. A new geological reserve has been created to protect 800 hectares, with 51 valuable sites and covers 21 communes from the Caylus military camp to the river Lot.
The phosphate mines provided employment during the late 19th century and actually attracted migrant workers from Britain and Ireland. The sites are visited by over 30000 tourists a year (we went some years ago with a "Troisieme Age" group) and the "beach" at Crayssac has yielded many dinosaur eggs. It provides evidence of submergence by the Atlantic ocean some 170 million years ago.
The creation of the reserve not only protects the site, but will allow improved publicity to encourage sustainable tourism.
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