Tour de France 2010

2010 is the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France coming into the Pyrenees, the organisers are commemorating this with 3 stages including two ascents of the mythic Col du Tourmalet, including a finish at the very top.
The stages will be ;
19 July : Saverdun or Pamiers to Luchon by the Portet d'Aspet, the Col de Menté, the Port de Balès.
20 juillet : Luchon-Pau (Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet, Aubisque).
21 juillet : Rest day in Pau.
22 juillet : Pau-Col du Tourmalet (Soulor, Tourmalet)

Birding in the Pyrenees

Sadly none of the 7 local pairs of Lammergeier have produced young this year; cold, windy and snowy weather conditions in March forced the adults to abandon their nests. We have however enjoyed watching young Egytptian Vultures on the nest, they have now fledged. The photo is of an adult Egyptian. Hot weather recently has thankfully seen off most of the remaining winter snow, we watched two pairs of Snowfinch feeding around the last remaining patches of snow and close to their usual nesting place. There seems to be Red backed Shrike everywhere we go!

Monsieur Hulot's Pipe

Poor Monsieur Hulot... The poster for 'Monsieur Hulot's Holiday' has been self censored across Paris by Métrobus (publicity body for Paris public transport) to avoid prosecution under the Loi Evin (anti-tobacco law). His famous pipe has been replaced by a toy windmill. The Paris Cinémathèque is showing a retrospective of Jacques Tati's work.

Nature notes from the Pyrenees

April 29th. A short stroll in the meadows surrounding Luz Saint Sauveur. A rare sunny day this April, yet more snowfalls have brought the higher mountain birds back to the valley -20 Wheatear and dozens of Redstart in one meadow, also saw a Lammergeier floating high above us, and two jousting Red Kites. We came upon a patch of Early Spider Orchids (photo), more than 30 specimens, we have not noticed them here before.

The warm sunshine had encouraged many butterflies- Swallowtail, Painted Lady, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood notably.