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 His famous pipe has been replaced by a toy windmill.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.