Booted up

Today it was with great pleasure that we had a visit from the President of Laguepie football club M Christian Fabre and one of the trainers Philippe Marre (Fifi). With a donation from us they have been able to buy 8 pairs of football boots, shin pads and bibs for our refugee boys who play in the Laguepie teams.

Sarah Brown our treasurer presented the cheque.

Terence Harker, secretary and publicity and me the President of our association  Mains Tendues 82 happily looked on.

Are you driving uninsured?

Steve Trinder from Assistance Le Cloup Location, who help with management of gites and other rented properties in the local area, has sent a "public service announcement" concerning the risks many UK citizens who live here full or part time and keep the UK plates on their cars, insured in the UK. There may be insurers who will provide cover for year round absence and it is possible that controle techniques will cover such vehicles. After reading Steve's warnings please let us have your experience.
"A good friend of mine, who works at the Association of British Insurers, tells me that there is shortly to be a crackdown. Forget Brexit, forget whether you're driving under a UK licence or a French one - it's about car insurance.
There are many, many Brits living out here who are still driving on UK registration plates. That's fine, as we know, if you're out here for a maximum of 90 days at a time. UK car insurance policies generally cover you for up to that period abroad, after which you are no longer covered.
But as we know, many of those cars spend their entire lives here, and so do their owners. Many others are here for six months, and back in the UK for six months.
An inconvenient truth it may be, but I'm sorry, these cars are being driven UNINSURED after those 90 days expire.
If you have an accident in France, the first thing your insurance company will ask you is "we need proof that your car has not been in France for longer than 90 days." If you cannot furnish a ferry/tunnel ticket which includes the transit of your car, then you are in deep, deep trouble. Not only will they not pay out on your claim and that of the other party, but you will also have committed a criminal offence here, which could lead to a huge fine or even a prison sentence for driving without insurance. Worse, if your accident (heaven forbid) led to the death or serious injury of somebody, then your fines, legal bills, compensation payments and an inevitable stay in a French prison will almost certainly bankrupt you. Car gone, house gone, life gone. And all because you didn't fancy changing your car plates and getting year-round insurance here.

Please, folks. If you are one of these people living here for more than three months at a time and who STILL has British plates on your car, you are almost certainly breaking the law. Not only that, you are putting other people's lives at risk. And worse, you are fully aware of what you are doing. Which is unforgivable. Get the car registered here, and get French insurance. There is no excuse for not doing this, it is not difficult.

Best Wishes,
Steve Trinder."

Off to work

It is an early start for me on Saturday mornings, off down to open up our shop alongside the other market traders.

But I enjoy every minute. Today we have the President of Laguepie football club and one of the coaches nicknamed Fifi coming. 

We will present them with a cheque to buy football boots for 8 refugees who play in the teams there.

I will finish off gathering up household items for a family of 5 moving to Albi, and yesterday we found clothes for  2 refugee boys and clothes for one, who has a young wife and toys and a pushchair for the baby and children.

What other joys will today bring I wonder and who will we all be able to help.

Our team can hand things out but without you we would have nothing to hand out.

Thank you for all your donations

taglines82@gmail.com

Fuel names to change from today

No longer SP95, SP98 or diesel at the service station pumps, but E10. E5 and B7. These labels are to represent the amount of ethanol present in the fuel, ie non fossil fuel. The labels will be a mixture of colours, shapes and numbers and will be the same in all EU and several other neighbouring countries, avoiding problems of different languages.
No doubt current designations at the pump will continue for some years, with the addition of labels as shown here.
For most of us with petrol cars E10 will the most appropriate (SP95) and diesel will be either B7 or B10 if a choice is given.
This is part of the EU's drive to reduce polluting emissions in line with the climate agreements by indication which fuels are the least polluting (eg E85 or XTL) including hydrogen.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com

Small amounts of wood needed

Hi Val,

I was very appreciative of your publicity in the autumn for the guidebook I am writing to Saint Antonin. It seemed to spark some interest, and I am still working on it.

I wanted to post a request for anyone who knows a wood for burning supplier of small quantities in the area. I dont know if or how I could do it on TAGlines.

Nick Coulson.     njcoulson@gmail.com

These cats are still looking for someone

There must be someone who can take these cats, both used to cuddles. Their owner has gone into a maison de retraite and a kind lady has temporarily taken them in.

She however is in the middle of treatment and cannot take on another two cats.

The tabby one is 12 and the white one about 6.

They have had all their injections and are sterilised.

Contact me and I will pass you on to Amanda who is looking after them for now.

Gaillac to light up again

MaxPPP

Last winter the town of Gaillac hosted a festival of Chinese lanterns which was a great success. Now a second festival is planned to open on 1st December and run until 6th February 2019. Some 80 technicians from China have arrived to unload from their containers the lions, unicorns, dragons and lanterns to prepare the display.
Since the last display closed an exhibition of Chinese art and calligraphy has been held in the town's art gallery attracting over 15000 visitors; it remains open until the end of this month.

They should have kept in touch

Two elderly Montauban couples set off for a holiday in Blanes, Costa Brava, last weekend, in convoy of two cars. But one car disappeared after the last peage station heading into Spain. The first car headed on to Blanes, but were concerned when the second car did not arrive at the hotel they had booked. They contacted family in Montauban but no news was forthcoming, so the gendarmes were called in. Mobilisation of searches on both sides of the border including helicopters. Scrutiny of video camera footage on the motorways revealed nothing. No telephone activity; no credit card charges.
But eventually the "mossos", Catalonian police force, spotted the missing car in a hotel car park in Rosas, about 100 kms north of Blanes. No explanation of why the octogenarians changed their plans and they were left to continue their holiday, astonished that a simple misunderstanding could have caused such a fuss.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com

Was this "fake news"?

A Spanish farmer posted on her Facebook page film of a cow being attacked by a bear. Not on her land she said, but on the French side of the Pyrenees. This was quickly shared as film of a well-known male bear in the mountains, with suggestions that this had taken place in view of farmers with their vehicles. Some internauts thought the landscape was not Pyrenean and the voices were not very French (or Basque), but sounded Slavic. Further investigation revealed that the film had been posted by an official Russian site on 9th October.
Challenged on this the Spanish cattle raiser admitted that the film was not shot in the Pyrenees but was illustrative of what could happen in the local mountains. It is possible that bears have taken cattle or horses, but posting such misleading films cannot help the anti-bear campaigns of Pyrenean farmers.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com

Vet surgery has moved

We went down to the veterinary surgery in Laguepie this morning to pay a bill only to discover, via a notice on the door,  that it has moved.
Their new premises are at 8 rue Clair Vallon, Laguepie.
The directions say to take the road to Varen and at 300 metres after the Distillerie arts centre take a small road to the right, leading up to the Maison de Retraite. The cabinet is above this road.
It is surprising that when we visited there last, only about a month ago, or that with the end of September bill (which has the new address on it) no notice of the move was given.
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laguepie chestnut fair

Tarn church tower struck by lightning

 photo DDR Br.M 

The tower of the church in Saint-Amans-Soult in the south of Tarn was struck by lightning yesterday at about 11am in the powerful storms which swept the Mediterranean departments. The damage extended to six neighbouring houses as tiles and bricks rained down. Fortunately nobody was hurt, one octogenarian neighbour suggesting that the good lord had protected them.

See you in the local frips

One of the reasons I like second hand clothes 

We need to make it the best thing to do, not just because one gets a bargain but to help save the planet.

Varen friperie our winter selection of warm clothes and party gear fresh in to stock.

Counting the stags

Forestry staff will be making a census of the stags in the Aubrac today (Wednesday). But given that these deer, introduced into the forests of the area some 60 years ago, are large and very timid counting them is no easy task. Hunters and staff will count the calls of the mating males (brame) and expect to get a total of about 250-300 individuals.
Hunters think there has been a small decrease in numbers which they put down to the presence of wolves, though conservationists doubt this and since the census is to determine what action is needed to control numbers perhaps no action is needed.
However there is criticism of members of the public going into the forests at night with lamps in an effort to spot the timid animals. "It's like Disneyland in there" one chasseur claimed.
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Worth a visit if you like antiques

A selection of items for sale in the Varen friperie

Once again I popped in to the store room today to do a bit more sorting.

Everything  looked so good, we look upmarket, high end but we know the price is not just right but cheap.

We are classy, at a price you can afford.

Class thats us,

Come and check us out.

Open  Friday 15h to 17h

Saturday 10 till 12

Through out the year.

And where are we ?Varen

And who are we ? Mains Tendues 82

Toulouse to ban polluting vehicles

Many of us have the CritAir vignettes in our cars and vans which are designed to be used when air quality in Toulouse and other big cities becomes too polluted. Certain categories of vignette, notably no. 5 referring to diesels registered before 2001, are banned from the city if the pollution levels are at a certain level over a three day period.
But over the next two years Toulouse will introduce a low emission zone from which these vehicles will be permanently banned. Discussions are being held to determine the zone (current zone is all within the rocade) and the technology to be used to identify vehicles and apply the penalties.
So far the current system, in force since the end of 2017 has not been activated at all.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com

Things for sale

Hard wood glass cabinet 350 euros

Soup tureen 40 euros

Large Stoneware oil flagons 50 each or 80 for two

Stoneware vase 50 euros

Stoneware vase with two handles 50 euros

Chinese tea pot 20 euros

Choiserie vase 20 euros

Choisiere bowl 20 euros 

Please contact Ana Jackson on 0565814461 or email : anaparvati@yahoo.com.

A "naturopath" at St Antonin tomorrow

Vous me suivez depuis quelques temps déjà et bien ça y est, je me lance :

https://magalilebelnaturopathie.wordpress.com

Une petite vitrine pour en parler autour de vous, amis, grandes tantes, arrières cousins, coiffeuse ou boulangère... n'hésitez pas, faut que ca tourne !!!

Et ce Mardi 9 octobre, au cabinet de St Antonin à 20h30, je fais une petit atelier de présentation de la naturopathie, n'hésitez pas à venir ou à en parler…

A très bientôt

Magali

Magali Lebel of Varen, whom many of you will know as a teacher of folk dance and player of Occitan accordion, has launched her career of "naturopath". Presentation, in French, tomorrow in St Antonin. Look at her website for details.

Book group seeks new readers

Parisot – Laguepie BOOK GROUP is looking for new participants.  Some of our original members have relocated back to the UK and there are now four of us remaining; we read literary fiction, mostly new publications but not always.  We are avid and passionate book readers, but not stuffy or pretentious.  If you would like to join us please contact:  ginaconnolly27@gmail.com
I asked where the group met
Thanks very much Val, sometimes we meet in Parisot (3 of us live here) and sometimes in Laguepie, so we are looking for people who live within those areas.

Gina x

The love story of the "poilu", Varen and Macron

A frequent contributor to our pages is Nadyne Vern Frouillou, long time inhabitant of Verfeil sur Seye and passionate for local history and especially the language and culture Occitan. She knew that her grandmother had been engaged to a Varenois poet called Angely Andrieu, but following the break-up of the relationship he went off to the "great war". Whilst stationed in Amiens he met Berthe Macron to whom he became engaged to marry but was sadly killed at Verdun just days prior to the wedding.
Nadyne and her collaborator Marie-Ange Gacherieu, whose grandmother was the father of Angely, have pieced together the letters and poems that he sent to his sister from the trenches. These emotional works are to be published in a book appearing next Monday (15th October) and presented at the Abbaye de Beaulieu on 18th October, together with a performance from Marie-Ange's musical presentation "Terra Maire", dedicated to her grandmother. A further presentation and performance will be part of the Armistice Day commemorations in Varen on 11th November.
Berthe Macron is a member of the President's ancestors, she being a cousin of Emmanuel Macron's grandfather. Although invited to attend the ceremonies it is thought the President may have other duties.
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What are these horrible green bugs?

They are green, hard skinned, smell horrible and are everywhere in our gardens and homes - "punaises vertes". Usually people go into discussions about whether to kill them or not as they come into our houses when the weather starts to get chilly and they emit a distinctive defensive odeur.
But as they do not do much particular harm and probably eat other bugs many people simply eject them from indoors. A local entomologist suggest that trying to eliminate various species of pests, such as Asiatic frelons, is generally a waste of time as others will take their place. Keeping  a diverse environment of plants and vegetables in our gardens will provide nature with her own methods of keeping equilibrium and eliminating native species in favour of exotic imported plants will only encourage pests.
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Beautiful baby seeks a new home

Obaby, a beautiful Newfoundland cross.  She is four months old and weighs 16.7 kilos ......so far.  Obaby is a delight, she is gentle, loving and obediant.  She has always been with other dogs and cats so would either like a friend to play with or a home where she will have good walks and human company.  In other words not left outside on her own all day.  

contact susanglibbery@gmail.com of Poorpaws.

Moto cross at Laguepie

But they cannot bear these new inhabitants

In the same part of the Pyrenees from which the two hunters escaped the mad cow, their colleagues were yesterday embarking on a "battue" to frighten away two bears which were released into the region last week. Fiercely opposed to the re-introduction of wild life species such as bears and wolves, the shepherds and hunters set out to try to chase the bears who were released last week into high mountain areas. Both females, the Slovenian bears are thought to be pregnant and join a population of 43 ursine residents in the mountains.
The protesters hope to chase the bears into Spain where there is apparently less pasturing of sheep and fewer attacks on flocks by bears and wolves. A local mayor insisted that the groups were not organising an illegal hunt and that many were just out for a walk in the mountains and were unlikely to see a bear in any case.

Hunters hunted - by cows

Those of us who do not approve of the activities of the chasseurs who race about our lanes in pursuit of deer and sanglier always feel schadenfreude when accidents befall the hunters themselves. The fact that they shoot each other on a fairly regular basis is a warning to the rest of us posed by gun toting hunters and when the deer or wild boar turn the tables we afford ourselves a wry smile.
But surely the most embarrassing story this week was the news that two chasseurs had to be helicoptered from the mountains after being attacked by a cow. Described as "seriously shaken" the two men were flown to hospital in Tarbes by a gendarme helicopter. No news is forthcoming about the condition of the cow.
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If you haven't booked already, don't miss our next show..... Watch the YouTube clip for audience reaction...

We are thrilled to welcome In Loyal Company, a powerful one-man show hot off the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it won five-star reviews, on Wednesday 17th October 2018 at 7pm.

Performer and co-writer David William Bryan tells the true story of his great uncle Arthur – known as Joe – who never thought of going to war until the Liverpool bombing raids of WWII. He joins up and is sent to Singapore, only to go missing when his ship shinks and ending up in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.

Pieced together by Bryan and his co-writer from family history and documentary research, Joe's story is touching, humbling and at times viscerally exciting, whilst Bryan's acclaimed performance is all the more heartfelt for his flesh-and-blood connection with the hero.

Watch this for audience reaction..

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb_1wsIMdIw

★★★★★ "a great story, and a truly stunning performance." Fringe Guru

★★★★★ "masterful writing and accomplished performance...a hugely powerful and deeply moving piece." Fringe Review

★★★★★ "this epic untold tale of survival is a one-man powerhouse performance." What's On Stage

★★★★★ "a thrilling and intense experience. Don't miss it." The Edinburgh Reporter

The bar will open at 6pm and the performance will start at 7pm.

To book your tickets, please email: fetatlecolombier@gmail.com

Members €15 Non-Members €20

NB: your reservation will only be confirmed on receipt of your cheque

Ruth Etridge FET Secretary

www.fetatlecolombier.com

Old caravan wanted

Hi Val

Do hope that all's well with you. Can you please ask on tag if anyone's got an old caravan they don't want, has to be reasonable condition but it won't be used for touring, just extra accommodation.

Many thanks Laura xx.    green.harvard@gmail.com

Our new shop sign

Thank you Charlotte Organ for our new shop sign.

We will be open for business tomorrow 15h to 17h

And Saturday 10 till 12

See you then in Varen

taglines82@gmail.com

More water restrictions in T&G

September you may recall was very sunny and dry. So dry in fact that in the east of the department virtually no rain fell. So from 6th October there will be more restrictions on taking water from local rivers. No more than 8 hours per day from the major rivers and only 3.5 days per week from some smaller tributaries of the Aveyron such as the Bonnette and the Sere. And it will be completely forbidden to take water from the Baye, the Seye, the Lere and the Tescou. Many smaller tributaries of the Tarn are similarly affected.
The restrictions apply mainly to agriculteurs, but some readers who live by the rivers may need to take note if they pump out for their gardens.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com

Vide garage: includes new wooden toys

VIDE GARAGE

SUNDAY 7TH OCTOBER 10AM -5PM

Contents of garage, including brand new in box stock from a closed down wooden toy shop, Excellent opportunity to pick up some early Christmas presents for the kids and grand kids.

There will also be a number of other items, including some antiques and furniture and also some clothes.

Details attached, the sale will take place in Prat Boyer, which is on the road to the back of Cordes, well signposted from the moulin/tabac and Gautiers materials.

Pass it on and see you there!

Caroline x

QUIZ NIGHT!! This Friday for Cancer Support

QUIZ NIGHT!! This Friday, Les Cabannes, 81170. Only a couple of tables left, each table is only 20€ and takes four people, so an amazing night's entertainment for only 5€ a head! Drinks and nibbles also, should be great fun. There are some spaces left for those who cannot make up a table of 4. Please contact ASAP to reserve places. All for an excellent cause - check out www.cancersupportfrance.org

Various useful things for sale

Various Motorhome Accessories and other items, please see individual price next to items

Rollflat Water hose and carrier - 15m length - 15 euros metal and wood wine rack - 5 euros

BNIB Babyliss Expert 2100. Never used, still in box as bought.  10 euros

Delonghi Ceramic Heater HFX30C18.1W - cost 60 euros new in March 2018. Used for one week. Perfect condition includes box and instructions.   40 euros

Pick up from Castanet, 82160.

All items sold separately

Contact Anne Grose 05 63 31 13 24 or annegrose@orange.fr

More tales from the Prefecture

We duly turned up at the Montauban prefecture for our "carte de sejour" rendezvous. We met a charming young woman called Marie Line who went through our dossiers and accepted everything without question, though she did think I should have supplied a copy of our tax "avis" for Val's dossier as well as mine, so she photocopied them herself.
She did advise that tax returns were almost essential if looking for a 10 year carte as they can save a lot of paper work. By chance we had taken copies of our original cartes de sejour which expired in 2008 and she said they were very useful as basically she would renew them under the same number. For justicatif  de domicile she took only the latest EDF bill (I had 10 copies covering 5 years!).
The only problem was taking my finger prints - it seems I may have a criminal career as my prints are very worn!
If you do not want to take original tax avis, you may download certified copies from the government web site, but ensure copies of almost everything else in duplicate!
Clearly different prefectures and even agents have different requirements, so be prepared for all eventualities; we have lots of unlooked at copies to be ditched now, but the time spent was worthwhile. We should have an SMS in 4-6 weeks telling us to collect our cartes (all things being equal...)
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A message from Hans re French TV changes

Today I got a paper in my letterbox telling me that there will be a change in the frequencies for the TNT reception (French channels, received with an aerial – rateau) on the 6^th November 2018. This change doesn’t apply to people who have the French channels via Internet or via satellite.

I did some checking on this and it appears that most of the people in the area are not affected. The main transmitters on Pic-du-Midi and Toulouse have changed already a year ago and most of the people in this area are using these transmitters. The local transmitters of St Antonin Noble Val and Caylus also have been changed already. But who then are affected?

The change applies to people who are using the local transmitters of Lexos and Laguépie (called Varen1 and Varen2). And also to those who are using the transmitters of Carcassonne, Cordes sur Ciel and Albi.

So what to do if you suddenly are missing some of the French TV channels on your TV on the 6^th November? Just do a new search for the French TV channels on your TV. And probably after that you will find everything back as it was before.

Hans, VIDEPC

Aznavour: a world star passes

At the Alhambra, Paris in 1960. Pic AFP

The headline news in all the media, including the BBC, has been the death of Charles Aznavour at the age of 94 years.
Born of Armenian refugee parents in Paris, Aznavour was scorned for years by the popular music critics. Despite having written many hit songs and accompanied Edith Piaf as her pianist, appeared in films and performed across the world, the critics considered him "second division". His stature, 5'2", his unhandsome appearance (Piaf advised him to have a nose job) and his unmusical voice - not to forget his "foreign" origin - were all held against him.
In 1960 a concert in Paris transformed his status as the critics realised what the public already thought: here was a consummate performer and writer of songs of the stature of Brassens and Trenet. From then on he became a darling of the media and a world star- though it is said that his most famous English language song "She" has no French version.
Aznavour never forgot his Armenian roots and later in life paid many visits there, writing a song in homage to those who died in the Armenian genocide which led his parents to flee. After the earthquake in 1988 he set up a foundation to aid the families of the 25000 victims and remained an ambassador for that country all his life.
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French women en forme

A recent study by France's statistical authority reveals that French women live in good health, ie not affected in daily activities by health issues, until the age of 64.9. Their overall life expectancy now reaches 85.3 years, one of the highest in Europe. However, a study by a Montpellier hospital suggested that it is from the age of 50 that women start to be more at risk from cardio-vascular diseases. Until then they are significantly less likely than men to suffer heart problems and often, apparently, imagine that this will continue into later life, but from about 50 the risks are the same as men.
Whatever, women have a longer active life expectancy than men, whose average is 62.6 years and overall 79.5 years compared to women at 85.3.
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This is really important, if you can go please do.

PEOPLE’S MARCH FOR A PEOPLE’S VOTE SET TO BE THE BIGGEST DEMONSTRATION ON BREXIT YET

20th Oct 2018 midday at Park Lane, London

Lots of treats at Festilitt

Parisot Literary Festival.

The third weekend in October will once again set Parisot abuzz with book lovers as the 6th literary festival takes place on 19, 20 & 21 October. There is something for all tastes this year, with a diverse programme that includes history, fiction, literary crime, art and an award-winning playwright.

We have two fantastic historians talking about their latest, fascinating books: Clare Mulley’s ”The Women who Flew for Hitler” explores the lives of two extraordinary women whose skills put them at the heart of the Third Reich but whose choices meant they ended their lives on opposite sides of history. Richard Vinen is Professor of History at Kings College London and his book “The Long ’68” examines the volatile period of social unrest which started as a protest by students at the Sorbonne and quickly spread to include massive national strikes. At its height, around ten million French workers went on strike and the whole state teetered on the brink of collapse. The protests created such fear that De Gaulle secretly fled France for a few hours, and his wife permanently expatriated her jewellery collection.

We always include at least one debut novelist in the Festilitt line-up: Mary Lynn Bracht's hard- hitting debut “White Chrysanthemum" explores a little-told chapter in Korean and Japanese history - the abduction of Korean women to be used as 'comfort women' for the Japanese army. It tells the story of two sisters, Hana and Emi, separated by the second world war as Hani rescues Emi from a Japanese soldier, is captured herself and forced into a military brothel in Manchuria.

Graeme Macrae Burnet is best-known for his Booker-shortlisted novel “His Bloody Project” and he joins us to discuss his two French-set literary crime novels “The Disappearance of Adèle Bedeau” and “The Accident on the A35” which pay homage to Georges Simenon's ‘Maigret’.

We also welcome our first ever graphic novelist, Nick Hayes, whose stunningly beautiful book, “The Drunken Sailor” traces the life of the French poet, surrealist and gun runner, Arthur Rimbaud; following him from his childhood in the Ardennes to the absinthe-soaked hedonism of the Parisian gay and literary scenes, to his flight to Egypt, Yemen and Indonesia.

Finally, in another festival first, we will be in conversation with award-winning playwright Mike Poulton about how he translates thrilling fiction into thrilling theatre. Mike adapted Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” and "Bring up the Bodies” and Robert Harris’s “Cicero trilogy” for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

We will also have our usual second-hand book sale with hundreds of recent books in great condition, at very low prices. If you have any books you can donate, please email maggietallentire@live.fr

For more details on the authors, please visit our website www.festilitt.com

If you want to join the Festival dinner on Saturday night or lunch with the authors on Saturday and/or Sunday you must reserve. Please email info@festilitt.com