villardonnel

[Pads]

If you look at villardonnel on google map to the east of the village is a large piece of land covered in what looks like large logs laying on there side ....Any I dea what this area is ?

Many thanks

[Gardian]

I had a look and they're far too large to be logs - they're more like excavations.

Anyway, I googled the place and there was a problem 3 yrs ago.  The Maire committed suicide over a major golf course and mobile home development in the Commune.  The Google Earth pics seem to be related to that - the initial works, that is.

Any particular reason for your interest?  Just curious. 

[Pads]

You just answered my question, I was told back in 2006 ish that there was going to be a golf corse built in the area , I was just looking for it as some one asked me if there was a golf coarse near me and I didnt know where the nearest would be.

So I take it , it never got built ? Is that the place it was going to be ?

I did wonder if they were some kind of chicken farm !!! wild imagination I have !!

Why you asking why Im asking ...do you know something .... ?? Just curious ;)

[Gardian]

The GE pics are from 2008, so it might have been built ................ but given the furore that there obviously was at that time, I somehow doubt it.

Sad that someone ends up taking their own life over a bloody golf course.

BTW, you answered my curiosity !!

[Pads]

Is he the bloke caught taking bribes over it ?

[Gardian]

Could be - to be honest, I only skimmed the newspaper article on the subject.

I guess that it was more likely to be that way round than him being an ardent opponent of the development.

[Pads]

Could you give me the link to the article please ?

Do you know where the nearest golf coarse to me would be ? There must be one in Carcassonne or Mazamet

Thankyou

[Gardian]

www.ladepeche.fr/.../471011-Villardonnel-Le-maire-met-fin-a-ses-jours.html

Sorry - I don't 'do' golf + I live some way away, but you could easily google 'Golf Carcassonne' or something like that.

Hmmm - just checked that the link worked and it didn't !  Google Villardonnel and the piece is the last one on the 1st page.

[Pads]

Thankyou ...

[nomoss]

If you look at the area in Street View you will see the marks are made by tracked vehicles. There is also a large sign: VILLE DE VILLARDONNEL, ZAC LA ROYALE, TRAVAUX PREPARATOIRES.

Google is your friend! [;-)]

 

Edit: spelling

[nomoss]

Here's another one to puzzle over: About 3km due west of La Redorte town centre, not the Google position for it, which is a bit south,  is a secret missile launching site - or is it?

[Pads]

Whats Zac la royal ? any Ideas

Is yours the one that looks like a comb with 3 eyes in it ? Could be a skate board run ...or a golf or shooting range ...no Idea Have you ?

[nomoss]

[quote user="Pads"]Whats Zac la royal ? any Ideas [/quote]

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_d%27am%C3%A9nagement_concert%C3%A9 

[quote user="Pads"]Is yours the one that looks like a comb with 3 eyes in it ? [/quote]  Yes

[quote user="Pads"]Could be a skate board run ...or a golf or shooting range ...no Idea Have you ?[/quote] Yes, I went to look. [:)]

 

[nomoss]

I guess it is the golf course etc. http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2009/10/27/702944-Villardonnel-L-amenageur-de-La-Royale-favorise.html

The sign in the photo is the same one I see on Google Street View

[Pads]

You went to look and it was a .......??

Come on stop holding out

[nomoss]

Oh, all right! It's a lake with 3 islands, now a nature reserve http://www.laredorte.com/randonnee.html

[Pads]

Thats interesting ...is it open to the public ? photo taken when lake was dry I hope or very strange water ...

I have walked that part of the canal over that bridge. I try to do a long stretch of the canal each time im over.

When I was looking at your bit from the road side I thought what nice views of the black mountains there were, make a good place for a walk

Edit: Just worked the map out in your link and its no 7 isnt it ?

looks like a good walk have you done it ?

[nomoss]

[quote user="Pads"]Thats interesting ...is it open to the public ? [/quote]

No. It is fenced off and a bit boggy, sign says no entry. It belongs to the local hunters.

[quote user="Pads"]photo taken when lake was dry I hope or very strange water ... [/quote]

Full of water, but sheltered from the wind so maybe not much movement of the surface.

[quote user="Pads"]I have walked that part of the canal over that bridge. I try to do a long stretch of the canal each time im over. When I was looking at your bit from the road side I thought what nice views of the black mountains there were, make a good place for a walk[/quote]

Lots of good walks here

 

[Pads]

Have you walked any of the routes on your link ? which were the best ones ?

[Pads]

Lots of good walks here

That will be why your nomoss then hey !!!;)

[nomoss]

We enjoy every walk we make around here, garrigue, canal, just across the fields. We don't visit bars or restaurants, they are too expensive for us, we just take a cold beer or two and maybe a snack, so these are not criteria for judging a walk.

With a good map one can always find something potentially interesting to head for. We have a Garmin etrex, and enjoy linking up waypoints from previous walks across country to new walks. Without it,it's easy to get lost in the hills.

We also plan new walks and mountain bike excursions from apparent routes on Google Earth or Mappy. I have some problems walking these days, and find it much easier by mountain bike.

 

 

[Pads]

Have you been up in the black mountains ? That is where I do most of my walking if im not on the canal, from my village I can walk all day and not meet a living soul except for 4 legged ones , there are no cafe /bars so I always pack a picnic and a half bottle of rose and stop some where on route for my lunch and take in the view .

[nomoss]

Not up in the real mountains, just the garrigue in the foothills. We also have a boat on the canal, so spend some time on that. Often when we are on the move, if we don't return to our base, I have to bike back to get the vehicle, so have done a few miles on the towpaths.

Our activities have been rather curtailed the last year. We bought a bungalow nearby as I'm fearful about stairs in the coming years, but found a lot more work was needed on it before we can move in. So we've been overseeing and doing building work, no boating, and very little walking or cycling. Fortunately we still have our previous house, some small advantage in the market not being ebullient at present!

[Pads]

We use to live on a narrow boat in the uk many years ago so I know what you mean about having to cycle back to get the car ...

Those were the days fitter and younger ...

Now adays a days walking the canals with my dog is the only joy i have on the canals.

You would love it at tthe top of the mountain the pic de nore its a great walk and the views are stunning ... Im always impressed by the peple on bikes who pass me it must be a tough ride...

We are also doing building work ( and getting no where) at the moment .

If you pass a fat bottomed woman with a chocolate dalmatian on the canal stop your bike and say hello....

[nomoss]

We went to Pic de Nore once, but by car. It was April, and very cold and windy. But the view was fantastic.

We're really too old for building, but have little choice.

I'll keep an eye out for fat bottomed dalmatian walkers in future!

Last place we had in UK was in Gweek, maybe as a Cornish resident you know it. A beautiful village and a dream house, but it never stopped raining. And we were among the only dozen or so residents once summer was over. We moved to Spain, now in France, no regrets. Except maybe the current value of the house we sold in 1980!!!