Welcome to the Aude
& Ariege Flyer

Bonjour,

I understand the British National Health Service is considering more transfers of terminally ill cancer patients to Libya under the BP-sponsored scheme it has trialled with Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. This form of palliative care is so far proving to be very successful...

Good old Mr O'Leary has insisted the French Government must bring in the army (or possibly the airforce, I hope) to take over when Air Traffic Controllers are on strike. That will keep the military busy most of the time IMHO. Ryanair said in a statement that the government should "intervene in future strikes to ensure that France's airports remain open for business, if necessary by calling out the French military to operate air traffic control."

"This happens in many other European countries when strikes disrupt air transport and it should happen in France as well so that innocent air passengers are not ... held to ransom by transport workers," it said.

Is it true that Geant Salvaza is launching home delivery shortly? Free if you spend over 120€, or order on line and pick up pre-packed from the store.

Well, thats what the in-store brochure says. It's a shame Geant's website doesn't say it's possible in Carcassonne, only in Narbonne in the Aude département at the moment. Does anyone around Narbonne have experience of how it's working? Let me know please, and tell me what the maximum delivery distance is?

My internet and telephone connection are provided by Neuf telecom. After 20 hours of no connection last week it was finally concluded with an online technician that my Neuf box was beyond vieux - in fact, dead, the Norwegian Blue of Neuf boxes.

I was told I would be able to pick a new one up within five working days from a bakery in Limoux. Well that confused me, but actually it seemed to be a good idea as bakers are open regularly. I was advised that the five days would the maximum delay. Well, I thought, it will arrive within one or two days. Tomorrow is the fifth day and I still don't have it.

I was running this system I would have sent 20 new boxes to each pick-up point. Issue the client with a code by text so that they could almost instantly pick up a replacement. And when the baker has a low stock level, say under 10, Neuf send another 10? Surely it would be quicker for Neuf show that they have an interest and value in their clients.

It must be cheaper per box to send out in larger quantities? I don't get this logic. On the other hand, I suppose that sending out all that stock has huge cashflow implications and I'm just thinking about the customer. Pity that Neuf isn't. Has anyone got a spare Neuf box they will donate or even sell me?

Flyer advertising gets cheaper, shock horror.

The most popular ad in the Flyer is one the size of a business card, it costs 25€ per issue, The rates haven't changed since I started charging for advertising, that was when the circulation was around a thousand in 2008, now with the list burgeoning at just under three thousand and growing the rates are the same. So they are now considerably cheaper, if you get what I mean.

Over the past two days I had have quite a few new subscribers to the Flyer. As you may know, I always say hello and ask for a little background information in order that I can see who I am writing to. Two of them clarified that they are searching for property to buy and between them they are looking for property of over €1.25m - and these aren't isolated instances. Many new readers aren't here yet, but they are intent on purchasing in the region. They will be your neighbours - your potential clients, or indeed buy your property if you are selling. So don't delay send me your ad!

Steve

Trio Orplide (Oboe, Cello and Harp)

Already a popular local trio who would love your support at a concert below in your area.

Samedi 31 Juillet (15h00)
L'Abbaye de Rieunette, Ladern-sur-Lauquet, 11250

Dimanche 1 Août (17h00)
L'Eglise de Pauligne, 11300

Jeudi 5 Août (21h00)
Jardin de l'église, Les Angles (Avignon)
dans le cadre Concerts André CALVIN

Jeudi 12 Août (21h00)
L'Eglise Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens, La Redort (Minervois) dans le cadre du festival
" Les Jeudis du La Redort"

Dimanche 15 Août (17h00)
(Duo Orplide - Musique pour Hautbois & Harpe) L'Eglise de l'Assomption, Rieux Minervoise

Samedi 2 Octobre
Villeneuve de la Raho (Perpignan) dans le cadre du Festival Lyrique des Pays Catalan.

Some vide greniers and foire!

Please check before setting off
http://vide-greniers.org
They also have a sister site where you can giveaway stuff or find stuff others are giving,
http://donnons.org
its all recycling - you know it makes sense

Jeudi 29 Juillet Vignevieille (Vide greniers et Marché Gourmand nocturne) Samedi 31 Juillet Caudebronde (vide grenier) Coursan (vide grenier) Fitou (Brocantes vide grenier) Limoux (Bourse d'échange auto, moto, tracteurs) Portel-des-Corbières (Vide grenier special "festejade") Quillan (Vide grenier puces) Serres (Fêtes de village, vide grenier) Saint-Girons (vide grenier dans le cadre de la foire) Dimanche 1 Août Alet-les-Bains (vide grenier de l'ete) Bizanet (Vde greniers) Carlipa (Vide grenier brocante foire à tout) Comus (Vide grenier et brocante) Coursan (Vide grenier, brocante) Cruscades (Vide greniers) Fraissé-desCorbières (vide grenier) Le Somail (marche artisanal) Limoux (Brocante) Limoux (Bourse d'échange auto, moto, tracteurs) Marseillette (vide grenier) Peyriac-de-Mer (Vide grenier associatif) Raissac-sur-Lampy (Vide grenier) Roubia (Vide Grenier) Coutens (Vide grenier) Mazères (Vide grenier) Pamiers (Puces et Brocante)

Saint-Lizier (Vide grenier) Pamiers (Puces et Brocante) Saint-Lizier (Vide grenier) Verdun (Vide grenier) Jeudi 5 Août Laroque-de-Fa (marche gourmand nocturne et vide grenier) Samedi 7 Août Belvèze-du-Razès (vide grenier) Coursan (vide grenier) Narbonne (29 ieme bourse exposition mineraux fossiles gemmes) Port Leucate (Vide grenier, puces, brocante) Quillan (Vide grenier puces) Roquefort-des-Corbières (Brocante Vide Grenier) Pamiers (Marché de Brocante) Vicdessos (Videgreniers) Dimanche 8 Août Cenne-Monestiès (Vide grenier) Coursan (Vide grenier, brocante) Leucate (Bourse Multi-Collections) Lézignan-Corbières (vide grenier) Narbonne (29 ieme bourse exposition mineraux fossiles gemmes) Padern (Vide grenier) Port-la-Nouvelle (Vide grenier) Rivel (Vide greniers) Caussou (Videgrenier) Château Verdun (Vide grenier) Pamiers (Puces et Brocante)

FOR SALE
2008 Audi A3 2.0 TDI Ambition Sportback

32,000 km
Manual, LHD,
5 Door, ABS,
Alloy Wheels,
Heated Seats etc.
Immaculate condition and unused by either children or animals!
21,000 euros ono
O6 81 94 24 66
or
0044 (0)7810 792331

2-Bed Mobile Home for Sale

(10km from Castelnaudary)
One double, one twin bedroom. Wardrobes etc. Bathroom with small bath and shower over. Separate kitchen and lounge areas inc storage. All UK sockets.

4000 euros

Tel 06 32 32 79 67
or
04 68 60 57 71

Cycle Buddy Wanted

35 Year old Aussie male, based in Carcassonne, looking for cycle buddy/buddies (single cyclists or established groups) for recreational road cycling. Any distance, any time (50km-150km as a guide).
Sick of cycling alone!

Contact Phil by email philip_treadwell@hotmail.com or phone 06 30 46 08 30

Été in the Aude & Ariege

Marche Nocturne
Puivert every Wednesday during July and August, marché and food of all kinds, chinese mexicain as well as traditional stuff

Limoux Tuesdays 17h to 23h 6 July to 31 August

Saint-Pierre la mer every day 20h to midnight

Narbonne Plage Marchés Artisanaux
Tuesday & Wednesday 20h to midnight

Léran Friday evenings July & August

Limoux 6 August Nuit de la fricassée

Laroque de Fa 6 August
"Marché nocturne gourmand"

Tournissan 6 August
"Marché et Vide grenier nocturne" animations musicales et restauration sur place
Ribaute 7 August "Marché d'art et d'artisanat"

Bouisse 12 August "Marché nocturne gourmand"

Marchés et Pique-Nique a la Ferme
Do you know about other summer events?
Please let me know

BACKYARD BOAT BUILDING - First of a series of short articles by Richard Suter

I am a keen amateur woodworker and during my retirement have undertaken many projects but my current one, under the above heading, is undoutedly the most challenging and, ultimately I think, the most rewarding.

I belong to a fraternity of people who spend their spare time in their backyards building classic wooden boats. Mainly men but I know of one brilliant female carpenter who built two boats at the same time. The originator of my group is a New Zealander called John Welsford who is a small boat designer extraordinaire. Many boat designs for amateurs are little more than tubs which often look like "floating coffins". John's boats have style and beautiful lines and more importantly, are buildable by amateurs like myself.

The word "backyard" is slightly misleading in this context ; it doesn't mean as most English people would imagine, a poky backyard behind a terraced house, but it is the word New Zealanders use for their backgardens. However this fraternity of boat builders do not always possess back gardens, John's boats have been built in such diverse places as garden sheds, garages, in the open under plastic tunnels, front rooms or even high rise apartment blocks.

My boat is called Navigator, that's the designer's name. I haven't christened her yet. She is 4.5 meters(15 feet) long and 1.83 meters (6 feet) wide and built out of water resistant marine plywood and lots of epoxy resin and fibre glass. In this series of small articles I will attempt to describe the various stages of the build and some of the difficulties involved.

Should any Flyer reader be sufficiently interested to know more at this stage, please do not hesitate to contact me on richard01suter@hotmail.co.uk. I will be pleased to chat and show you Navigator as built so far here in my garage in Bellegarde du Razès. You could bring along your partner if they would like to see the boat, or they could chat with my partner Sue about gardening, or just what it is like to be a "backyard boatbuilder's widow"....we have English tea also! ! !

CONCERT VOIX ET ORGUE

EGLISE de St FELIX DE LAURAGAIS
DIMANCHE 1er AOÛT 2010 16h30

"Les grands Airs de la Musique Sacrée" W.A. MOZART, J.S. BACH, J. HAYDN, C. FRANCK...
Béatrice BUIRON : soprano
Marc CHIRON : organiste concertistez

Entrée : 8€ /gratuit pour les - de 16 ans

FOR SALE - HOUSE CONTENTS
(LAURAGEL near Limoux)

EVERYTHING MUST GO
OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY 31ST JULY 2 TO 5PM
to view, and arrange collection.

Including, garden furniture, carved front sideboard, veranda chairs, wolf lawnmower, books, swimming pool robot (2yr warranty to run), Maison du Monde wrought iron dining room suite Beds, books and all the rest.

04 68 69 20 46 after 6pm please

FOR SALE - SKYPE DUALPHONE

RTX DualPhone 3088 with 3 extra handsets.
Works both as a normal portable telephone and will make Skype calls without need of computer, so long as you have modem/internet access.
As new and works very well.

100 euros

Peter Eatherley, Capies, 11300 Pomy, France
Tel +33 (0)4 68 69 21 17

7.5 Tonne Truck for Sale

(10km from Castelnaudary)
Ideal for removals back to UK

UK registered, very low mileage (134K km)
Cooler unit installed but not used/tested

3000 euros

Tel 06 32 32 79 67 or 04 68 60 57 71

....cycling from Calais to Raissac d' Aude

Hi Steve
Thank you for a very interesting read.

Inspired by Vic Heaney I am marking my retirement from teaching by cycling from Calais to Raissac d' Aude to raise money for the Samaritans. I would be grateful if you could publicise my donation page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/briansbigbikeride Thanks in anticipation of a favourable response.

Regards
Brian

Wanted - Exercise Bike

Will collect Carcassonne - Limoux - Castelnaudary

Rent-Free Cottage...

We are looking for a couple, or a single person, as permanent caretaker(s) for 3 gites in the depths of beautiful countryside between Castelnaudary and Mirepoix.

In summer you'll have long and busy Saturdays, cleaning and preparing the houses, and welcoming the guests. The rest of the week involves a couple of hours a day keeping things shipshape, tidying, gardening, mowing, looking after the pool, etc.

From October to April a light workload with some minor decorating and easy DIY. You'll have peace and quiet, and plenty of time off. You must be a driver, preferably with your own car.

In exchange we offer a rent-free cottage with heating, gas, electricity, water and property taxes paid, a garden to grow your own flowers and vegetables - and glorious views of the Pyrenees.

Please contact us at gardiens@samuel.org.uk.

The Property Page

My original idea for the Property page was to directly connect people who have with people who want and vice versa and hopefully making things work with less money. That said I do understand that not everyone is comfortable dealing direct so there is a role for agents and property finders and they are welcome to advertise in the flyer for reasonable cost. If you are an agent or property finder and would like to advertise please contact me on this link

Property for sale

If you are looking for a village house either ready to move in or to use for holidays take a look at "La Maison Jaune" a two bedroom property in Trausse Minervois (just 25 minutes east of Carcassonne) being sold by Sheila who is looking for serious offers in the region of £125,000.

This price includes all furniture, fittings and equipment. No need for builders or shopping for furniture just pay the money and turn the key it's ready to move in. Contact Sheila for more details.

Property wanted in La Liviniere

Debora is looking for a small village house to buy. She would be happy either with a property which is more or less ready to use or one which needs building work. If you know of a suitable property for Debora please contact me on this link.

Rental Property wanted in Rennes-les-Bains

Debora (it's a different Debora) is looking for a rental house or apartment or house sitting arrangement in Rennes-les-Bains between Limoux and Quillan.

If you have a suitable rental property for Debora please contact me on this link.

Rental Property wanted in or near to Rennes Le Chateau

Nicolya is looking for a three bedroom plus house. She is a professional writer and professional artist. No children. 1 extremely well behaved, trained and obedient dog. Non smokers. Needs to be rural or way from main roads and to be surrounded by nature. She is looking for a one year let, perhaps longer. Ideally within a 20 minute drive of Rennes Le Chateau but the closer the better. Exceptional references, including for the dog. Needed by early October at the latest, but the sooner the better.

If you have a suitable rental property for Nicolya please contact me on this link.

Rental property available

Ailsa has a fully furnished traditional village house for rent in the picturesque village of Albas (11360) in the heart of the Corbieres - either long term winter lets Oct to May or summer holidays May to October. 3 large double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (both with shower and bath), kitchen/diner with log burner, and large lounge also with log burner.

contact Ailsa on alouva@yahoo.com for more details.

Caretakers Wanted

Wanted couple as caretakers for house and gites. Please send full details to mail@audeflyer.com

If you are looking for a property to buy or rent tell me what you are looking for and I will ask 2700+ people if they have or know of someone with a proprty that might be just what you are looking for.
This is free of charge service but donations are always welcome.

As well as people looking for property the Property Page is also a place to advertise your property for sale. So if you have a small village house or a castle that you would like to sell just get in touch

If you would like to advertise your property for sale or rent
the cost is 50 euros for 13 adverts just email me the details.

Saturday August 7th
Garage Sale, prior to moving house

Small items of furniture, Pictures,
Household goods,
Keep Fit equipment,
Golf clubs,
and a whole range of other "stuff"
5 Chemin du Pont, Cournanel (near Limoux)

Tel 04 68 74 33 48
email joyceprosante@aol.com
Everyone welcome from 9am until 1pm

On a Lighter Note! - Serious questions.

Question 1:
If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three of whom were deaf, two were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis, would you recommend that she have an abortion?

Read the next question before looking at the response for this one.

Question 2:
It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three candidates.

Candidate A:
Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 Martinis a day.

Candidate B:
He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in College and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.

Candidate C:
He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks An occasional beer and never committed adultery.

Which of these candidates would be our choice? Decide first... and then click here for answers

French Air Traffic Controllers

Seemingly there are 4000 of these fine people Doesn't that feel like rather a lot? Well we wouldn't want any planes bumping into each other would we. And it is a stressful job. Luckily they are blessed with 97 days of official holidays (that's 20 weeks)

Apparently they are also allowed informal absences. Based on the current levels of air traffic they are allowed to take another 56 days (yes that's 11 weeks) of "clearance" days leave.

The moral of this information is try to befriend a French Air Traffic Controller and find out when they are going on holiday, you should end up with no cancellation or delay.

Monastère des Dominicaines de Prouilhe,
near Fanjeaux.

Whether you live in the area or are just visiting, Please feel free to join the
Dominican international community at the
Basilica of Sainte-Marie-de-Prouilhe for RC Mass
in English with Father Graham Platt at 11.30am
on Friday July 30th, Friday August 27th, Friday September 24th, Friday October 29th,
and Friday November 26th.

Monastère des Dominicaines de Prouilhe
11270 Fanjeaux
Tel 04 68 11 22 66
e-mail accueil@prouilhe.com
www.prouilhe.com

Return trip or "fires, trains and aeroplanes"

Regular readers of the flyer may remember the twice fifty minutes' delay on my trip down to Routier. Well, the trip back was par for the course. The French have a saying which roughly translates as, "It serves no useful purpose to hurry; it is just necessary to leave at the right time".

As I had not really enjoyed my trip down, I decided to try and get back earlier than planned. So mine host (aka Steve) dropped me at Limoux station in plenty of time a) to get an earlier train and b) to enquire of the lady at the desk whether there was an earlier option for the whole trip (fatal mistake, as it turned out).

She very helpfully changed my ticket, and even gave me some money back, which was one of the two high-spots of an otherwise dismal day. I went out on to the platform and struck up a conversation with a very pleasant French lady who was also travelling to Carcassonne and, even better, going on to Montpellier, which was also my next stop. So we checked our tickets and found out that hers was for the 12.09 train, while mine was for the 12.42 train. No woman can resist a bargain, a special offer, or an earlier train time, so I said I'd accompany her. She promised to make sure we got on the right train.

All went well till Beziers (remember Beziers, from the outward bound journey?) I must admit that when three railway policemen got on the train before Beziers I felt a bit strange (sort of like déjà vu), but I reassured myself that as they were already on board, there would be no need to wait 45 minutes for them to arrive. However, they got off the train in Bezier, but our train didn't move. There was an announcement about a train coming from Montpellier which was 1 hour and 30 minutes late, but that didn't mean that we would be late, did it? Well, actually, yes it did.

It wasn't leaves on the line or cows on the line this time. No, this time it was fire on the line! Yes, there was a gigantic fire between Montpellier and Lunel. This was quite a relief at first for us, though not for everyone else on the train. We were getting off in Montpellier (before the fire site) unlike all our fellow travellers who were going on to Nimes. But the problem with fire is that first of all it has to be brought under control.

The fire had been raging since eleven in the morning, apparently caused by sparks from a German train (possibly disgruntled by having been eliminated from the World Cup and Montpellier was as close as they could get to Spain? No, probably just bad luck, but it's almost an amateur sport in France to blame things on the Germans.) They had even had the Canadair planes out to quench the blaze with massive amounts of water.

Meanwhile, back in Beziers, we sat and waited, happy to be on an air-conditioned train. Finally we heaved a sigh of relief as the train drew out (and we were on the earlier train, due to arrive at 1.45, a full three hours before my connection.) But our joy didn't last. We stopped at the next station, where the Talgo train from Barcelona was also waiting. Unscheduled stops are always bad news, but I was able to help the train manager by explaining the problem in English to all the foreign tourists (English, German and Dutch, amongst others). I also did a bit of "youth control", pointing out to the young teenager in a stripy t-shirt that opening the outside door all the time was simply letting in the heat and the noise. He obviously had a behaviour problem, or at least a sad lack of patience. By virtue of superior age and threats of calling the train manager, I got him to leave the door alone, but he then went on to play "let's make a big noise with the bottle of water, by trying to crush it underfoot." I decided to let that slide, as it was at least more bearable than the heat and the outside noise.

We finally moved on to the next station, Sète, where we caught up with the Talgo again. Another long wait was in store. Our friendly train-manager explained that once the fire was under control, they would then have to check the lines to make sure they were safe, and that Montpellier station was not big enough to serve as a holding ground for all the trains that had been delayed.

After such a fraught experience, even station-hopping was almost positive, as each step brought us closer to our goal (but my connection deadline was also drawing closer). We finally reached Montpellier at 16.05, two hours and twenty minutes after our ETA. But that was not the end of my worries; there was no sign of my connecting train on the board, and the station was so chockfull of people that getting to the information desk would have been a Herculean task (and I have difficulty lifting my suitcase). So I bought a sandwich and a drink from the nearest outlet and edged my way closer to a man with an SNCF badge, who was explaining to all and sundry that the board wasn't big enough to deal with the backlog, but that "platforms would be announced before the trains left".

That is obviously a good idea (not much point in announcing them afterwards) but, as I mentioned just now, the station was so full of people that "standing room only" does not do it justice. And I had a heavy suitcase, the board was near platform A, but all the other platforms could only be reached by going up and down several flights of stairs. So when my train came up on time, with only ten minutes to go, I made a bee-line, for platform B. But when I got there (up and down steps, panicking furiously) the board announcement had changed to no platform, and the second part of the train was cancelled. Scary stuff. Luckily they made an announcement that the train would leave from platform F (yes, the other end of the station) and I probably made as good a time sprinting as the new French hero who just made it under the ten-second mark for the hundred-yard (or is that metre) dash. So when the "platform to platform overhead dash carrying a heavy suitcase" becomes an Olympic sport, you can count on me!

Just in case you're wondering, our train left Montpellier after a 25-minute delay, which then turned into 50 minutes as we drove slowly past the burn zone (which I didn't even see). So after all that, I got in to Dijon only 45 minutes earlier than my original journey plan, instead of two and a half hours earlier. Needless to say, I didn't hang around to see how late that train was.

By the way, most of the information about the reasons for the delay came from my husband via mobile phone, as he'd heard all about it on the news. The train manager was in possession of the same information only slightly later.

PS I was in Routier for a TRAINing course (of course).
Mary Smith