Resist!

Uranium-processing company Areva has a plant just a few miles from the centre of Narbonne where they are planning to use a new incineration procedure to reduce the volume of radioactive and chemical-stuffed sludge they are storing. This isn't to the taste of a lot of local people, and a collective  has been formed to oppose the plan. They've chosen the butterfly as a symbol and this evening a gathering of about 1,000 people formed a butterfly shape in the square in front of the Town Hall. 

We only heard about this project last week, so we aren't fully aware of all the details; we decided to go to the demo anyway. As we arrived a chap handed us an A3-sized pamphlet full of explanations and diagrams; he turned out to be an employee of Areva, so the pamphlet assured us that everything was perfectly safe and above board, while the organisers of the demo assured us of the opposite. I can see that something needs to be done with this toxic waste, in a country heavily reliant on nuclear power, but a site a couple of miles from a nature reserve and the homes of 100,000 people doesn't seem like a good place to do it.

Afterwards, since our favourite Narbonne restaurant was closed, we called in at the new tapas place in Fabrezan on the way home. Here we had some excellent and reasonably priced tapas in the garden, warmed by the evening sun, and with cool trance music drifting from speakers. Lovely -- we'll definitely be back.