SALT WORKS BECOMES WORLD HERITAGE SITE

The Salt Works in Salins Les Bains, one of Franche-Comté most iconic buildings, have joined the coveted UNESCO World Heritage List. The Salt Works are an exceptional example of the salt production history in the area from the Neolithic period to the 1960's when the site stopped producing salt. Visitors can also find out more about salt at the Salt Works new museum. The museum offers a unique opportunity to follow the various stages of salt production starting with the Salt Works underground chambers and warehouses which were closed to the public until now.

FOOD FESTIVAL -- CALVADOS

Port-en-Bessin in Calvados is holding its third Scallop & Seafood festival from 7^th -- 8^th November, running alongside the European Sea Shanty festival. A good place to moor the motorhome for the weekend.

CHATEAU CHRISTMAS

Join Father Christmas & over 50 stallholders from all over France, as the glorious Chateau de Brissac in Maine-et-Loire opens its gates for its annual Christmas market from the 28^th- 29^th November. Specialist artisans will be selling everything from chocolates & wine to wooden toys & decorations.

GASTRO GET-TOGETHER

The Gastronomades Festival (27-29^th November) in Angouleme gathers 200 exhibitors including top chefs, producers & fine food specialists selling regional products such as white beans, Charente snails, walnuts, hazelnuts & chestnuts -- all available to enjoy in the centre of the town.

BEWARE OF THE "SUPERTRAP"

Motorists in France are about to be hit with a new breed of hi-tech sneaky speed cameras. Nicknamed the 'supertraps', the latest generation of speed cameras do not flash, can cover multiple lanes at once and tell the difference between speeding lorries and over-the-limit cars. The new devices won't be easy to spot, either - they look like nothing more than steel posts by the roadside, which means many drivers may not even realise they've been caught until they get their fine. The new cameras were invented in France and are set to be tried out on French roads shortly. According to French motor magazine Auto Plus, the French government intends to introduce them within a year and the UK is likely to follow within months. French roads are often used as a testing ground for speed camera technology before being rolled out across the rest of the EC.

LD LINES FLEET CHANGES

From early November 2009 the  LD lines ferry Norman Spirit will transfer from its current Western Channel Portsmouth - Le Havre route to commence operations on LD Lines' Dover - Boulogne service, considerably increasing freight and tourist traffic capacity. Norman Spirit will operate four return sailings daily between Dover and Boulogne and provide a crossing time of one hour 45 minutes. The ship has capacity for 1850 passengers, 700 cars, 110 freight vehicles and the service will also carry coaches and foot passengers.
The high speed catamaran Norman Arrow, which began operating across the Dover Straits in June 2009, will re-locate to the Portsmouth - Le Havre route, where she will begin a six month seasonal operation from Easter to September 2010.

FARMERS CONTINUE TO DISRUPT TRAFFIC

Thousands of French farmers have rallied in cities across the country to demand the government do more to help them cope with falling food prices. About 150 farmers blocked traffic on the busy Champs-Elysees avenue in the centre of the capital, Paris, for two hours on Friday as part of the national day of protest. The protesters burned tyres and straw as they waved banners criticising the government's response to slumping grain prices and the economic crisis.