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Getting there and away |
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Eating & drinking | Sports & outdoor pursuits | Crime & personal safety | Gay & lesbian issues | » Flights between Agen and Paris are now operated by the Portuguese company Aérocondor.
» Grimaldi Ferries has started a ferry service between France and Italy. Ferries ply between the Mediterranean port of Toulon and Civitavecchia, south of Rome.
» The magazine French Property News reports that SpeedFerries, which operates on the Dover-Boulougne route, claims to be the first "low-cost" fast ferry company, adopting a similar concept which shook up the airline industry. Among other things, this means the further ahead you book, the cheaper the fare. The magazine also reports that P&O Ferries has introduced a similar ticketing system, ie. book early to get the cheapest fares. For the moment the system only applies to car-inclusive tickets on the Dover-Calais route.
» Périgueux airport will probably close with effect from 31 March when the company Airliner, which operated a Périgueux–Paris flight, goes out of business. Airliner's flights between Bergerac and Paris will also be discontinued.
» Americans travelling in the region might like to know that there is now a US consul in Toulouse. Prospective visitors to the US should note that visas are only issued by the consulate in Paris.
» La Dépêche reports that sales of foie gras in France increased by 10% in 2004 (6436 tonnes versus 5854 in 2003) according to the Committee Interprofessional of Foie Gras. The main growth came from sales of foie gras cru (fresh as opposed to processed foie). Even more surprising, the export market grew by 20% to give a total of 2124 tonnes of foie gras cru and 908 tonnes of processed foie) for the year. Spain was the biggest importer (801 tonnes), followed by Japan (293), Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. France produces 90% of the world's foie gras (the rest coming from Hungary, Bulgaria and Israel) and consumes 85% of the world's production.
» I'm just back from canoeing down the Dordogne and Vézère. It's well worth mentioning White Water Massif Central by Peter Knowles. The title is a bit misleading as it actually targets easy rivers for family canoeing - the cover is about as hard as it gets. I was able to choose the Dordogne as the best river to try canoe touring. Interestingly the book suggests that the Lot requires more carrying around dangerous weirs - a hassle in a loaded boat but maybe not a problem for day rental trips between weirs. The Tarn is described as a bit harder, busier and more spectacular. Gagnac to Beynac as mentioned has got plenty of castles but was the only place there were tour barges and would get packed out with canoes. I found it all nice, but from St Sozy or Souillac to Beynac was especially scenic. The Massif book also suggested the Céré but when I took the train along it from Aurillac to Bretenoux it was just a big stream frequently blocked with big rocks and several barrages cutting back what flow there was. I know there is a drought on but I could not have put in any sooner than Bretenoux on the Céré. I would not say the Vézère was more suitable for beginners or shallower than the Dordogne - but it could all depend on dam discharges on either river. The 'rapids' were the same easy riffles - the tricky bit was not grounding out. The Vézère is as popular as the Dordogne. All in all, the whole experience was as good as I had expected - easy to get around by train, plenty of riverside campsites or creaky hotels if one wanted a treat, and of course decent food.
» Toulouse rugby team beat Stade de France to win the Heineken Cup in an all-French final. This is the third time in 10 years that Toulouse has won the competition.
» A report by the Minister of Justice and CNRS says the police in France are guilty of an "undeniable and systematic" discrimination against people of north African origin. When handing down judgements, north Africains are more likely to be sent to prison and to receive longer sentences than other ethnic groups. 24% of north African defendants receive prison sentences as against only 7% with a "name that sounds French".
» Once again the marriage of a gay couple celebrated by Noël Mamère, Mayor of Bègles, near Bordeaux, in June 2004 has been annulled by a Bordeaux court. The judges argued that, according to French law, marriage could only take place between two people of a different sex. The two men said they would continue to fight and take the case to the Court of Human Rights if necessary.
» The mayor of Cahors has refused a gay couple permission to be married. They have decided to take the issue to court.
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