Hold the front page again!

You may remember the earth shattering news that greeted the readers of La Provence a month ago - a new speed camera had been installed on the route de Sarrians outside Monteux.

Great journalists are blessed with a sixth sense as to what makes a newsworthy story. You and I might scoff at such a front page but the editor cleatly knew that he had a story that would run and run.

This week in the depths of the night somebody stole the Monteux speedcamera, there was of course outrage and another story meaning that the speedcamera has now had more column inches devoted to it in the local papers than Marion Cotillard the first French actress to win the best actress oscar since Simone Signoret in 1960. In the face of the breaking speed camera news Marion was relegated to page 38.

Crocs away

The almond blossom is on the trees, the first greenhouse strawberries are appearing in the markets and the crocodile breeding season has arrived! Yes as spring hits the Luberon and Les Alpilles, it's a little known fact that the warmer weather begins to make the giant reptiles frisky. The 35 males - each weighing over 400 kilos - at the Pierrelatte crocodile farm indulged in some macho posturing as they searched for their mates. The result a juvenile male croc with a broken jaw and a page 3 La Provence story. It's been another busy week!

TAXI....

Have you ever wondered why it was so difficult to get a taxi in Provence? Stuck in a village restaurant at midnight having had a few too many to drink, the waiter first looks horrified at your request for a taxi, then spotting an opportunity offers to take you home himself - it will give him a chance to demonstrate the peculiar genetic ability of the Provencal to take hairpin bends without a hand on the wheel, and to earn a few extra euros.

The good old days of life threatening trips home nearly came to an end this week when the “rapport Attali” proposed to liberalise the taxi profession. The problem is Vaucluse taxi drivers have paid up to €100,000 for their licence, and because of the strictly limited number in circulation, they represent most driver’s retirement plans - sell the licence on and buy a nice beach hut.

Attali threatened all this by proposing to allow new drivers to circulate without a licence. The response from the taxi drivers was a strike. So for now at least, unless you’ve booked your cab one week in advance, the waiter still represents the best way to get home. Just watch he hasn’t had as much to drink as you.

Hold the Front Page!

It’s been a slow news week, as illustrated by the front page of La Provence on 31st January, a photo of a speed camera and the following story: in the middle of the night (very cloak and dagger!) a speed camera entered into service near the exit from Monteux in the direction of Sarrians. Presumably the editor of La Provence lives somewhere nearby.

The gardens of Chateau Val Joanis have been voted the best gardens of 2008 by the Association des Journalistes du Jardin et de L’Horticulture, The gardens consist of three different terraces each with a different theme. It’s three years since the gardens of Val Joanis were classed as Jardins Remarquables by the minister of culture.

And finally for wine lovers, the Orange Concours de Vin tasted 3060 cotes du Rhone 2006 and 2007 vintages and the following Luberon domaines were awarded the Medal D’Or

Cave du Bonnieux

Chateau Blanc Rousillion

Chateau La Canorgue Bonnieux

Cave de Lumieres a Goult

Valdeze La Tour D’Aigue

Domaine Le Coulet Rouge Rousillion

Domaine de La Garelle Oppede