Monday 14 June 2010

Day 15 - to Saillagol











Leaving La Métairie Basse, the early morning was foggy and I took photographs of the slightly surreal landscape. I was advised by Richard to take the unpaved track down to Conduché where the Célé joins the Lot, as it is less steep than the normal paved road to St Martin Labouval. The track was rough, with deep flooded potholes and fallen trees, but it worked, and I met Barbara, filming (may be added later), in St Martin L. We agreed to meet before noon at Varaire, possibly to have lunch. The route via Limogne was straightforward, and it was a slightly odd experience to be driving through these familiar places with the tractor. No-one here turns a hair, of course. I was parked in the village square at Varaire by 11am, just as a ceremony to celebrate the re-opening of the library was about to start. So there were plenty of people, many of whom took an interest in the tractor.


Barbara phoned then to say that a film team from the Quercy rural video assocation was at Saillagol, intending to record my arrival, but had now decided to hot-foot it over to Varaire. Much excitement in the square as I drove round a couple of times for the camera, and headed off for the last few km to Saillagol.


I arrived unaccompanied (not deliberately, just a communication screw-up) at a by-road into Saillagol, and gave myself a symbolic cheer as I passed the village sign. At our house I was filmed doing circuits of the mill, and gave a short interview describing my reasons for the trip, my experiences on the route and so on; I look forward to seeing the result.

Thereafter, much champagne and a quiet afternoon, sinking into early unconsciousness.....

I will, once I can persuade France Telecom that our phone and internet connection really does not work when it rains, aim to post an epilogue, but experience suggest this may take a few days yet.

7 comments:

  1. Arriving home after filming Peter at St Martin Labouval, to put the champagne on ice, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the film crew with resident tractor specialist and M.Poreaux.All anxious to know tractormans whereabouts. His phone call from Varaire bought forth a sally of 'Lets Go'
    Pictures and videos taken we were rushing back to Saillagol and in the confusion, I was waiting at one of the other roads into the village and missed him completely!
    However, the champagne was good and copies of the film and pictures promised. We tried to relax but the adrenaline was too high, and the afternoon saw M.Poreaux doing an in depth interview with tractorman Still as yet to materialise in La Depeche, whilst I talked to a tractor enthusiast, who had seen the paper and come out to view the ferguson. He owns 9 of them!!!
    Sleep that night was the best for many weeks.

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  2. Just have to post this. Our dear friend Elaine, was listening to Chris Evans one morning of the first week and tuned in the the fact they were talking about tractors. Someone phoned in to say they had been waiting at Dieppe on Tuesday (the day of tractormans crossing) and this Old man with a bushy beard came off on an old tractor. He looked like something out of The Darling Buds of May.
    Could it have been tractorman?
    He flatly denies his beard is bushy!

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  3. A Twist in the tale?
    A curious thing has occurred. Our trip to Limogne on Sunday morning was agony. Tractorman is unable to drive fast!
    Can any of his friends or family imagine such a thing? Anything over 20 and hes terrified. Help!

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  4. It was going to happen; the bliss of being able to smell diesel at 12 mph, he is obviously hooked. A life of being a slow bugger now awaits. Pictures look blissful. I wish I was there.

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  5. Well done. I had my doubts.

    Michael P

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  6. Good job. You have now completed the exchange of tat between England and France. England having acquired a dodgy, rusty-yellow Renault postal van in exchange for the tractor. A good exchange?

    What's next? Surely there are some other rusting useless items lurking either side of the channel that could do with re-homing. More farm machinery? Boats (the potential of sinking in the channel would add a certain excitement).

    Anyway, well done on the journey. Hope the piles aren't too bad.....

    We look forward to the next adventure.

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  7. Hey, I have first claim on rusty useless items; one redundant object taken with every needed one. I hope the sun shines a bit for you and you have a delightful Fathers Day. Love V

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