Subscribe to BuzzFeed Daily NewsletterCaret DownSnail Lovers Rejoice: A Look Into A French Escargot FestivalThis escargot festival is a chance for gourmands to come out of their shells by Kenneth BachorBuzzFeed News Photo Editor is hosting its 31st annual event this August in Digoin “[Toulouges is] very small and has a tight community,” said photographer Skyler Dahan who attended this year’s festival for BuzzFeed News which shares its love for Catalonian culture and history.” This Catalan crossover is highlighted at Festival de l’Escargot through replicas of traditional 19th-century garments that some festivalgoers wear and gigantic historical puppets that revelers parade around the event the escargot served at this particular festival are farm-raised for safety reasons but it’s important to note that not all escargot consumed by humans are farmed they are [sometimes] poisonous due to the toxins they ingest from the plants they eat,” Dahan said The escargot served at Festival de l’Escargot are called “cargols a la llauna” and originate from the ancient Catalan city of Lleida; they are found all over Catalonia and the French region around Toulouges the escargots are starved for four to six days in order to dry them out The snails are then covered in salt to make the escargots emit a drool-type substance and release a liquid The snails are then filleted with a small knife to release them from their shells they are dipped in a salt-and-pepper mixture and left to settle for a couple of hours and then grilled and served — in this case Locals dressed up in replica 19th-century Catalan garb in front of large puppets Left: A local woman dressed in replica 19th-century traditional clothing of the region; Right: a person looks through a window of a traditional costume A local fillets a snail with a paring knife to prepare the escargot Left: A child wears a costume during the celebration Left: A festivalgoer takes a break from the performance Right: A local woman dressed in replicas of traditional Catalan clothes Escargots are prepared by first drying out the snails Left: A chef holds a snail after dipping it in the salt and pepper mixture used to prepare the escargot; right: the escargots are readied in large batches Festival attendees load their plates with salad A plate of escargot with Catalan-style paella the local food of Toulouges and the surrounding area An ERDF-funded project is creating a new cycle path to provide the missing connections to bicycle routes across Europe opening up the possibility to cycle all the way from Bucharest to Roanne The 21km ‘green’ path will start at the port of Roanne and follow the old railway line crossing the Loire from Pouilly-sous-Charlieu to Digoin and stretching to Saône-et-Loire This will not only allow families from the region to walk and cycle down picturesque and safe paths which are This will not only allow families from the region to walk and cycle down picturesque and safe paths which are prohibited for motor vehicles but will also make Roanne an important crossroads for pan-European cyclists A 4 000km cycle route already exists from Nantes right across Europe to the Black Sea Roanne will now be directly connected to this cross-European route improving access to the region for the thousands of tourists who already use it Source article on www.radioscoop.com 16/03/18 Photo: © Pixabay/CC0 Commons Alex Honnold’s solo of Half Dome’s Regular Northwest Face made him one of the world’s boldest climbers Now he is planning on performing a stunt for live-television He will solo one of the world’s tallest buildings and the name of the country has not been released The stunt will be produced by Sender Films and aired on National Geographic Honnold is not the first to perform such an act Alain Robert is a French rock climber from Digoin Known as the French Spider-Man or the Human Spider he is famous for climbing skyscrapers using no equipment Robert has climbed landmarks including the Eiffel Tower the Sydney Opera House and the Montparnasse Tower as well as the world’s tallest skyscrapers In 1997 he climbed the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia but was arrested at the 60th floor In June 1999 Robert climbed the 170m Marriott Hotel in Warsaw and in 2000 Robert climbed the 23m high Luxor Obelisk in Paris We will update the story when more details of Honnold’s urban climb are released Get the digital edition of Gripped for your chosen platform: Motorists have been highlighting alleged problems with France’s first motorway to introduce a free-flow toll system The A79 is an 88km section of motorway between Sazaret (Allier Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) and Digoin (Saône-et-Loire managed by motorway management network Autoroute de Liaison Atlantique Europe (ALIAE) it has been using technology to track whether motorists have paid to use the road It’s claimed it improves traffic flow and is better for the environment as vehicles consume less fuel by not having to stop at a toll booth But users of the motorway have been telling consumer group UFC-QueChoisir of problems they have been encountering Some said they felt the payment systems were not explained properly while others said that they were unable to pay online and had to call customer services said: “There is very little information [about how to pay] along the road during your journey You have to be very alert to understand that you have to pay later.” said he was disappointed that he was not given enough notice to be able to avoid the paying section of the road by using another route; while Geneviève even found that she was unable to pay her 30-cent payment due for use of the road She said: “[I was notified] that I had committed an infraction that could be fined by up to €90.” But She then had to call the customer services line and later sent a cheque Jean-Claude commented that the in-person payment option was not particularly efficient Where are the energy savings when you have to look for a space Free-flow technology removes the physical toll (péage) barriers on the road infrared cameras installed on the road identify the registration plate and vehicle and automatically trigger the billing process The car’s registered owner or driver is charged rather than the driver having to physically pay at toll booths (although paying at fixed-site machines on foot is an option Data is held according to GDPR laws and does not store card data or licence plate information for any other reason than to charge for the journey ALIAE only retains data relating to transactions and does not store it with identifying licence plates The road is often used for long-haul journeys from the French Atlantic coast to Germany of which 40% are heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) ALIAE says that the new system is aiming to make the route safer as the road is one of the most accident-prone in France 124 people died in incidents between Montmarault and Mâcon The system is already used successfully in other countries There are also plans to introduce the system on other motorways in France in the next few years including the A13-A14 (planned for 2024) and the A69 (2025) How to save on rising motorway tolls in France TotalEnergies to cap fuel prices rather than offer discounts in France The group compared two popular EV models and considered six specialist EV offers France’s motorways are run by several concessionary groups The prefectural ban is set to remain in place until at least December 31 The project revolved around the development of a 21 km green cycle route on the V71 upstream Loire route between Saint-Pierre-la-Noaille and Roanne The aim was increase the reputation of the area and the number of tourists visiting the northern part of the Loire region a green cycle route developed by the Loire region is a gateway to Europe by bike; it links up with Eurovelo 6 the trans-European route from the Atlantic to the Black Sea that follows the Loire and the Danube It's also the beginning of the project to cycle along the Loire towards the river 's source and the link with the ViaRhôna The green route connects the port of Roanne to the Saône-et-Loire using the canal towpath from Roanne to Briennon and the former railway track. This first section of the Véloire is a link to Eurovelo 6, continuing the section located in Saône-et-Loire The Véloire is a pathway of discovery for tourism and leisure Situated in a very environmentally sensitive area (banks of the Loire hedged farmland) and an area of heritage (built structures or those resulting from railway and river activities) it links the communes of Saint-Pierre-la-Noaille This route allows families to take a walk on safe The 21 km cycle route was opened on 23 June 2018 by the Loire Region The mix of landscapes that the route crosses enriches the attractiveness of the route which ends just a stone’s throw from Roanne town centre complete with a parking area and information panels provide access to the route the green route uses the rights-of-way over a 6 km stretch of a former SNCF railway line thus ensuring the continuity of the link between Saint-Yan and Iguerande This low-gradient route provides undeniable scenic appeal offering views of the Loire and its tributaries These meadows used for cattle breeding have rich soil even if they are regularly subjected to the erosive power of the river striking elements of former railway activities adorn the walking route The development project between the route and the meander also provides for opportunities for the landscape and local environment to be improved from a landscaping and educational point of view It is also possible to link up with the tourist and cultural centre of the Charlieu area the route runs for about 2 km from Pouilly-sous-Charlieu along shared roads (including the Loire crossing) to the entrance to Briennon and its Cluniac church A shared road crosses the village of Pouilly-sous-Charlieu have been built on each side of departmental road 4 the pavements on either side of the bridge over the Loire and its access ramps have been widened to 1.40 m The route continues for 13 km along the towpath and its shaded areas allowing you to enjoy the canal and the ports of Briennon and Roanne The underpasses have been made safer with barricades creating a real structuring main line with which local initiatives can be linked up It is therefore linked to a similar operation carried out by the Charlieu-Belmont Community(Charlieu - Pouilly-sous-Charlieu green link) as well as with the project for the development of the banks of the Loire led by the town of Roanne the region has installed eco-meters at two points along this route which allow remote monitoring of traffic and provide tangible data more than 134,000 transits have been recorded Total investment for the “Development of a green cycle route from the northern boundary of the Loire region to Roanne (21 km) part of the V71 Loire upstream between Saint-Pierre la Noaille and Roanne” project is EUR 5 200 000; the contribution of the European Regional Development Fund amounts to EUR1 560 000 through the “ERDF Loire Interregional Operational Programme” cooperation programme for the 2014-2020 programming period Conseil Régional Centre-Val de Loire - Direction Europe et International 9 rue Saint Pierre Lentin 45041 ORLEANS Cedex 1 France Alain Robert has soloed many of the world’s largest buildings and the 51-year-old shows no signs of slowing down Robert is a French rock climber from Digoin He is known as the French Spider Man or the Human Spider He is famous for soloing skyscrapers with no more than a small chalk bag and a pair of climbing shoes the Sydney Opera House and the Montparnasse Tower Here is a video of his recent solo up the Ariane Tower .prefix__st0{fill:#333}Access Account Elise Pioch Balzac has just unveiled new, painstakingly crafted, quirky objects for the home. Balzac has now developed these homewares and “petite luxuries” Everything I add within these four walls of my maison has to obey my criteria and my tastes,” she explains “For Maison Balzac it goes from the packaging Everything has to be harmonious and balanced.” For this homewares range she’s partnered with intriguing and traditional artisans from around the world Each item is special and storied − in its development as a product and in its sincere nostalgic connection to Balzac’s seaside childhood We asked Balzac to talk us through the conception and making of some of our favourite new products made in collaboration with ceramicists at Manufacture de Digoin The box has been designed to perfectly fit Maison Balzac’s new long-stem “This is definitely my favourite piece in the new collection,” says Balzac. “It’s so out there, so eccentric. It draws inspiration from Salvador Dali’s lobster telephone When I convinced Digoin to make this for me they were immediately engaged with the story “It’s also a little piece from my childhood and very personal for me … [it reminds me of] growing up close to nature One of the things I loved the most was to go and look at the lobsters at the bottom of the sea.” all-natural dish-wash that can (amazingly) double as hand wash “We were the last house on one side of the village so on one side of my house was just wild bush land until the next village,” says Balzac and rosemary – all these natural herbs and shrubs I wanted to bring back that Mediterranean essential oil I developed the product with a skin specialist laboratory in Melbourne over the last four years I finally feel this is the perfect product.” “I’ve been talking about adding throws to my collection for the last four years,” says Balzac My grandma always had one of their woolen throws “This is directly inspired by a balm made by the brothers in an abbey in the south of France “In the kitchen we always had the balm floating around – any time we’d burn our skin or have a tiny little bobo or accident I gave the balm to my perfumer who translated it into the scent for Le Silence the smell of my mother looking after us.” “When I started producing the candles four years ago I thought three things would distinguish me from the very crowded market of candles – the packaging all I could find was machine-made glassware that you see everywhere I wanted the glassware to be the signature of my brand to hold it in your hand and recognise it as Maison Balzac.” “I reached out to so many glassware companies around the world to see who could do a bespoke vessel for me One of the companies that got back to me was a centuries-old glass-blowing factory in Mongolia which practices this historically grounded glass-blowing technique with colour the smoke colours and they suggested the green glass as well This is just the beginning of the products we plan to make with them.” maisonbalzac.com How a Sneaker Sparked a New Luxury Car Design by Polestar’s Maria Uggla From Mean Girls to Jumanji: What Can Top Films Teach You About Being a Good Parent The Salaryman Who Fell in Love With Yayoi Kusama's Black Painted Polka Dots Reader question: How will car rental companies bill for road tolls now that we do not have to stop and pay a toll on certain French motorways or a fee each time a toll charge is incurred there is only one free-flow toll motorway in France where motorists are charged without having to stop at toll barriers which runs for 88 km between Sazeret (Allier) in western France and Digoin (Saône-et-Loire) in the east Cameras along the road are able to read licence plates but it is relatively simple to pay for a journey on the A79 even if you are using a rental car Read more: Tips on how to save money on France’s toll motorways and it confirmed that it is possible to pay for a journey in a rental car online or at a machine there is a box labelled 'I was using a rental car,' which will allow you to input the dates for which you rented it rising to €375 if you do not pay within 60 days If you use the A79 five times in 12 months without paying There are signs along the side of the road reminding drivers that they are on a péage en flux libre (free-flow toll) road and need to pay you can contact Aliae’s customer service line at 0806 005 005 The Paris-Normandy motorway (A13-A14) will be transformed into free flow from next year while plans for the new A69 between Toulouse and Castres do not include toll booths Aliae claims the advantages of the system include less risk of traffic jams fewer CO2 emissions (HGVs emit 3.1kg of extra CO2 emissions every time they stop at a barrier and a reduction in driver stress when approaching tolls The sport is growing in popularity in Europe Several points of assistance are available to help people complete the declaration France’s first barrierless motorway toll (péage) opened on the A79 in Allier on November 4 with the intention of speeding up journey times for drivers and reducing greenhouse gas emissions The ‘flux-libre’ (freeflow) road was formerly the N79 It is an 88km section of road between Montmarault (Allier) et Digoin (Saône-et-Loire) The state requested that the road be changed into a paying motorway in a bid to improve safety Les 30 1ers km du nouvel itinéraire A79+, sera complète en octobre 2022 et sera la première autoroute en flux libre, sans barrière de péage en France (c'est-à-dire sans barrière de péage physique -https://t.co/MT05bda2Ui pic.twitter.com/q2AY4QINkU Read more: First barrier-free paying motorway opens in France It is hoped that the lack of toll booths will prevent vehicles from having to slow down or stop the absence of a physical pay machine may lead some to forget that the road is still a péage We look at what you risk if you fail to pay When you drive underneath the gantries on the libre-flux motorway cameras will read and record your number plate or detect the télépéage subscription fob fitted to the car you can therefore use the road without needing to do anything as the toll cost will be applied to your account However, if you are only an occasional user, you must pay using the Aliae website or via the app You can either register your vehicle and payment details on the website or can pay as you go and enter your details manually each time There will also be 16 payment booths at the border of the motorway which will enable people to pay by card or with coins if they prefer you must do so in the 72 hours after you use the péage 🚗 L'autoroute... sans péage🛣️ L'A79 entre Digoin (Saône-et-Loire) et Montmarault (Allier) devient la première autoroute payante de France en "flux libre"► On a testé pour vous #ApollineMatin pic.twitter.com/x226K3exKl you will face fines increasing depending on the time scale If you fail to pay five tolls within a year and let each case go to the OMP Drivers should note that if they receive a penalty notice for an unpaid toll even though they have not used the road in question Fraudsters may either use duplicate number plates to pass charges onto the real owner or send fake notifications from the authorities demanding payment of a fine An EU-data sharing agreement will enable French authorities to chase up drivers from other countries in the block who fail to pay the toll The UK is no longer part of this agreement due to Brexit but drivers with British number plates would still be expected to pay the toll charge as normal Motorways tolls in France set to rise: what can drivers expect in 2023 ‘Worker fuel allowance’ to benefit half of French households, PM says France rules out reducing motorway speed from 130km/h to 110km/h Driving in Europe? These 20 countries send speeding fines to France The geographical spread of Canadian nationals follows a similar pattern to Americans