Autocirc announces the acquisition of Caréco Pontarlier a prominent French company specializing in vehicle recycling This further strengthens Autocirc's network of independent operators working together for sustainable solutions in the automotive parts industry across Europe Caréco Pontarlier handles about 3000 vehicles annually providing the basis for an impressive stock of over 30 000 new and used spare parts for sale Caréco Pontarlier has established itself as a key player in the local auto parts market.  founder of Caréco Pontarlier and co-founder of the Caréco Group cooperative has successfully led the family-business together with his son Edouard Martin to its prominent status on the French market ensuring stability and continuity in the company's operations Caréco Pontarlier is in a good position for future growth.  comments:"We are very excited about joining Autocirc and taking new steps towards our shared vision of sustainability in the auto parts industry The combination of our recent investments and Autocirc's extensive network sets the stage for significant accomplishments in the future." says:"This acquisition is proof of our commitment to leading the automotive parts industry to a circular future With Caréco Pontarlier's impressive track record and the Martin family's expertise we are set to further enhance our services and reach in the French market." Autocirc FranceMaxime Richaud, CEO+33 (0)6 32 59 58 92[email protected] Caréco PontarlierEdouard Martin, CEO+33 (0) 6 77 57 69 50[email protected] Autocirc works for a circular transition in the automotive industry We ensure that used car parts get back on the road again - or that materials and components can be used in completely different products and contexts we are making the second-hand market the first choice A sustainable choice for a smarter automotive industry and a better alternative Autocirc was founded in 2019 and is growing rapidly the group consists of close to 60 companies with 1000 employees and operates in Sweden Få löpande information från Autocirc via e-post E-postadressen to uppgett verkar inte vara giltig vänligen stäm av och rätta till Du måste välja minst ett språk Du kommer inom kort få ett mejl till 08-692 21 90 [email protected] Integritetspolicy ShareSaveLifestyleSpiritsLike Your Favorite Wines, French Absinthe Now Has Geographical ProtectionByJill Barth Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights I cover the global wine industry.Follow AuthorAug 29 03:52pm EDTShareSaveThis article is more than 5 years old.Absinthe served in the traditional way at the Armand Guy distillery in Pontarlier More Credit: SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP/Getty Images I looked to the lifestyles of those writers that had gone before me imagining the arrangements when I would be firmly situated as a (wine) writer Details of café life in 1920s Paris reflected the things I would drink many of them mentioned by name in A Movable Feast: “a white wine that was sort of a Muscadet,” and “the good Cahors wine." Of course there would be several bottles of white Mâcon and a bottle of Montagny “a light pleasant white wine of the neighborhood," shared Despite the fact that Hemingway (like many other creators: Degas Toulouse-Lautrec) has become associated with the sometimes-controversial drink absinthe isn't mentioned in A Movable Feast Absinthe from 'Fils d'Emile Pernot' distillery in Pontarlier More BRINGARD/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images absinthe was introduced over the border of Switzerland to France in the early part of the 1800s The green drink seemed to be tied to emotion from the start Eventually it became a sort of flash point for temperance when a molecule in the natural ingredients was blamed for hallucinations and even a murder which was a tipping point in the bad-guy status of the drink it was called "one of the worst enemies of man," and subsequently made illegal in 1912 It turned out that the guilty side effect wasn't hallucinations but the compiled impact of drinking way too much of this highly alcoholic beverage some of which was made with toxic additives Eventually these bans on absinthe were lifted as myth gave way to fact French producers of absinthe have worked to earn Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) from the European Union Absinthe de Pontarlier must be made according to the traditional methods in Pontarlier a town in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region where the French origins of the spirit were born Much like Hemingway's mention of Cahors this designation will tie the product to a place If you want to read Hemingway's words on absinthe takes his share of enjoyment from "that opaque Pontarlier is an airfield located in Franche Comte in the east of France almost on the Swiss border There are a lot of magnificent montains surrounding beautiful lakes and historical places like the nearby Fort de Joux where Toussain Louverture View important Copyright © information related to freeware files here The archive lfsp.zip has 14 files and directories contained within it This list displays the first 500 files in the package Signing-up for PRO gives you super fast, unrestricted speed to the thousands of MSFS, FSX, P3D & X-Plane downloads which include aircraft, scenery, and more - click here to view the library for free or.. Sign-Up Now PRO membership payments go directly back into the website to pay for hosting It's what also enables us to offer a free download tier Join over 145,000 subscribers of our free dedicated flight simulation newsletter Are you using the latest Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 release The Tour de France peloton will observe a moment of silence on Sunday to honour the memory of a spectator who died after being struck by a police motorcycle during Saturday's stage The race will pause in Pontarlier before the start of stage 15 to Verbier Spectator killed at Tour de France "Deeply affected by this tragic accident, the Gendarmerie, the Garde Republicain and the Tour de France organization offer their condolences to the families and friends of the victim and promise their full support to those who were injured," read a statement on the Tour de France website. An initial investigation into the accident was carried out on Saturday by the French national police. The Gendarmerie reported that the accident occurred 38km into stage 14 from Colmar to Besançon as the 61-year-old woman attempted to cross the road after the breakaway group had passed. The motorcycle, being ridden by a member of the Garde Republicain escorting the break, slid further down the road after the crash, injuring two other spectators. The Tour de France medical service began treating those involved in the accident before emergency personnel arrived at the scene. Despite the best efforts of the attending medical staff the woman initially hit died as a result of her injuries. The two other spectators injured in the accident, a 36-year-old and 61-year-old, were transported to a hospital in Mulhouse. "[I wish to express] the immense sadness of the Tour de France" said Race Director Christian Prudhomme to L'Equipe. "Safety [was] the first concern the organizers of the Tour de France. Since the last fatal accident in 2002, many measurements have been taken". In 2002 a seven-year-old boy died after being hit by a vehicle in the Tour's publicity caravan on stage 10 of that year's race.  The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker VERBIER, Switzerland — The Tour de France star pedaled up out of his saddle in a mountain stage, dusted his rivals, and seized the yellow jersey that he knows all too well and covets so much. This time, it wasn't Lance Armstrong, but his teammate and one-time rival Alberto Contador, who won Sunday's 15th stage and made a case to be the Texan's successor at cycling's premier event. After such a dominant display in which Armstrong finished in ninth place — 1 minute, 35 seconds after Contador and among other also-rans — he sees his chances of an eighth Tour victory fading. "It will be hard. A day like this really shows who's the best, and I wasn't on par with what is required to win the Tour," Armstrong said. "That's the reality that's not devastating news or anything." He added, "I gave it everything that I had, and I wasn't the best." As the three-week race entered the Alps, the 26-year-old Spaniard recovered the celebrated shirt that he hadn't worn since his Tour victory in 2007. He made it clear he'll be the man to beat this year. Race contenders knew that after a week of mainly flat stages that didn't alter the top standings much, the 128.9-mile ride from Pontarlier, France, to the Swiss ski resort of Verbier was critical. Armstrong rose from fourth to second in the standings but lost time to Contador, whom he now trails by 1 minute, 37 seconds. Now, he sees his job as serving as a "domestique" — or support rider — for Contador, putting an end to speculation about whether he or the Spaniard deserved the role of Astana team leader. Ten breakaway riders had set the pace from early on in the stage and chiseled out a maximum gap of 4:40 by the 78-mile mark, before the peloton gradually started closing in. Rivals of the Astana teammates — notably the Danish team Saxo Bank — pressed the pace or tried to attack as the final climb loomed, but Contador held off every assault, then launched his own. About one-third of the way up the 5.5-mile ascent to Verbier, Contador burst ahead of other pre-race favorites and kept extending his lead all the way to the finish. "Saxo didn't play around. They hit the bottom full-gas, we saw that coming, so we were perfectly on the wheel," Armstrong said. "I think the thing to note is that Alberto responded." Armstrong at times rose out of his saddle during the last climb, his jersey opened and his necklace bobbing left and right. Contador, riding alone in front with 1.4 miles to go, angrily swatted back some fans who were running closely beside him on the climb. By the end, Armstrong huffed across the line in ninth place — after riders like two-time Tour runner-up Cadel Evans of Australia and 2008 Tour champion Carlos Sastre of Spain. He had started the day fourth and 8 seconds behind Rinaldo Nocentini, the Italian whom Contador stripped of the yellow jersey. " Contador) is the best in the race, and he deserved to win," Armstrong said. Only a week earlier, Armstrong had acknowledged "tension" within Astana amid his rivalry with Contador. And in March, when Contador bungled his management of the Paris-Nice race, Armstrong said that that the Spaniard still had "a lot to learn." The Texan, chastened, now wants to follow Contador's lead. "This is a team sport," Armstrong said. "I think now is the time for me to put my chances aside, and focus on the team." Contador basked in the expression of support. "Lance Armstrong was my idol, but dropping him today wasn't important — he was just like any other rider. ... It's an honor for me to have him working for me," he told reporters through a translator. Contador came into Sunday's stage in third place overall, 6 seconds behind Nocentini, who had led the race for eight days. The Spaniard finished in 5 hours, 3 minutes, 58 seconds. Saxo Bank rider Andy Schleck of Luxembourg was second in the stage, 43 seconds back, and Vincenzo Nibali of Italy was third, 1:03 back. Nocentini was 2:36 off the pace. Bradley Wiggins of Britain, who is best known as a time-trial rider but has proved his mettle in the mountains this year, climbed from sixth place to third — 1:46 behind Contador. Wiggins splayed out on the ground to stretch after finishing the punishing stage. Contador said Sunday's result left no doubt about who should be considered the Astana team leader. "The differences now are pretty big, and the team's bet should now be me, no?" Contador said. "I'm sure my teammates are going to put in great work to back me up just like they did today." Armstrong vowed that he would not go against the interests of the team by attacking Contador later in the race. "That's not going to happen," he said. "There's been a lot of drama between Alberto and me ... but at the end of the day we sit as a team." Sunday's ride was the first of three stages in the Alps, and the only one of those with an uphill finish. The 5.5-mile ascent from the valley up to Verbier was the first time that the Tour has visited the ski resort. Riders get a rest day Monday before the two other Alpine stages, an individual time trial in Annecy on Thursday, and a ride up the dreaded Mont Ventoux on Saturday. The Tour ends Sunday on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. "Hey, if) we ride into Paris with the yellow jersey on the team, I'm cool with that," Armstrong said. "I got seven of 'em at home." AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report. 2013 at 11:05 AMLeon SchmidtLeon SchmidtQuick -- when we say "absinthe" what's the first thing that pops into your head read on to learn about the greatest vacay you will ever take or because it was banned for nearly a century or the fact that Johnny Depp totally trips balls on it in From Hell the actual absinthe never gets set on fire (just the brown sugar cube) many of its "hallucinogenic" properties came from chemicals added to bootleg versions when it was banned and Johnny Depp's character was all hopped-up on heroin in that flick Route de L'absintheAlthough Prague's also got quite an absinthe scene its historical epicenter is a small section of the Franco-Swiss border which's been revitalized since absinthe's global re-birth Route de L'AbsintheThanks to some French/Swiss teamwork, RoutedeLAbsinthe.com was born in order to guide people to the 20-plus waypoints along an actual 25mi-long trans-border trail.Here're the distilleries you can hit traveling East: Route de L'AbsintheThe last family-owned biz in Pontarlier the Pierre GUY Distillery was founded in 1890 by Armand Guy and has been run by four generations since as these dudes also make traditional liqueurs which means "water of life" (note: too much will make you feel like death) France is home to Les Fils d'Emile Pernot distillery which has been in the absinthe game since 1890 Route de L'AbsintheCross the border into Switzerland and you'll hit the home distillery of René Jeanjaquet in Les Verrières though he'll open the doors for ya and even sell you some hooch Route de L'AbsintheAnother mom-and-pop shop Pierre-André Currit uses a generations-old fam recipe in his absinthe that'll have you saying Route de L'AbsintheFleurier's home to award-winning distiller Daniel Guilloud who's famed for his colorless absinthe Celle à Guilloud -- so good it leaves all other absinthes green with envy Route de L'Absinthe Your eyes do not deceive you; the FATA Distillery is located in an authentic chapel in Feurier Route de L'AbsintheMôtiers is home to Yves Kübler whose great-grandfather started the Blackmint a fact that can be directly attributed to the Minnesota Twins winning the World Series in 1991 Route de L'AbsintheWilly Bovet was a long-time underground distiller probably until his tunnel caved in Môtiers who totally capitalized on absinthe's legality with four famous varieties: La Tradition Route de L'AbsintheStill in the absinthe hotbed of Môtiers is artisinal distiller Valote Fornoni who tries to "preserve the myth of the Green Fairy and produce a genuine absinthe of outstanding quality".. as evidenced by his 2009/2010 gold medal at the international Distiswiss competition Route de L'AbsintheMore Môtiers -- this time at Le Petits Prés Route de L'AbsintheThe last stop in Môtiers is at La Môtisanne Distillery which's actually just the barn of a dude named Roger Etienne Route de L'AbsintheAlthough not an actual distillery the Boveresse Drying Barn's a pretty good way to find out about how the plants that go into absinthe -- most notably wormwood -- are grown and what Artemisia-Bugnon Distillery lacks in size it makes up for in craft as their absinthe lives up to that heritage It even won the Golden Spoon (a good thing!) at the Absinthiades Festival in Pontarlier for five straight years Route de L'AbsintheThat lady in the picture is Gaudentia Persoz and she actually calls herself the Green Fairy partly because she thinks it's a radical name and partly because she's the first female distiller of legal absinthe in Switzerland She makes four different types at La P'tite in Couvet Route de L'AbsintheWhen the Absintissimo Micro-distillery says "micro" but you don't need to be huge when what you're doing is recreating artisan absinthe made by regional bootleg producers Route de L'AbsintheSaving the best (or at least the nicest looking) for last rounding out the trail is a historic house in Couvet where there's a "cellar museum" and a production distillery called 55 Degrees -- not to be confused with 98 Degrees (aka the band that the dude who thought Absinthe was the all-girl rock group earlier is likely listening to at this very moment) You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed There are around 67,000 roundabouts in France today with hundreds more installed across the country every year It has become the custom for ronds-points (or giratoires) to be decorated in some way – whether it be a monument Read more: French roundabouts are also about revolution of a political kind their primary function remains a very practical one: encouraging drivers to slow down from the Centre d’études et d’expertise sur les risques say: “There are between 30% and 70% fewer accidents involving injuries depending on the type of junction and user Cerema is responsible for assisting road projects with safety assessments both before and after they have been built Read more: Call for urgent action after steep rise in cyclist deaths in France it also provides guidance for local authorities and developers on their size and how this might affect different road users The pair say that the cost of installing roundabouts – a contentious issue in recent years – varies hugely “It is difficult to give a price because roundabouts differ greatly in size and location Smaller ones can cost tens of thousands of euros but larger ones can cost up to a million.” To help make a roundabout more visually pleasing “This is not to be confused with the 1% paysage which finances works of art for national infrastructure projects such as new motorways nor the specific development of a roundabout where approximately 30% of the cost of the work is devoted to landscaping planting and even decoration,” the pair said The building of roundabouts has boomed since the 1980s but artworks used to embellish them have sometimes attracted the ire of locals who believe the money could be better spent elsewhere Conspicuous centrepieces include a collection of gigantic corks celebrating the wine region of the Côtes du Rhône halved kiwi on the Peyrehorade-Bayonne road in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and a 4.5m-tall miner’s lamp in Courcelles-lès-Lens say local authorities have moved away from elaborate artworks in recent years “Although some roundabouts have been highly decorated to mark a town’s ‘entrance’ it seems that the current concerns of local authorities for the centre of their roundabouts relate to vegetation biodiversity and more ‘frugal’ facilities (to reduce maintenance costs) “In terms of roundabout design (not just the central part) local authorities are experimenting with ways to allow safer movement of pedestrians Read more: French drivers welcome new ‘peanut-shaped roundabout’ the issue of whether roundabouts are a waste of taxpayers’ money has not gone away which exposes where public expenditure goes launched a competition in 2017 to find the worst roundabout in France said: “Many of our members have pointed out to us over the years the wastefulness of these structures which is why we launched this contest – to highlight our fight against unnecessary public spending “Contribuables associés is not passing judgement on the necessity of traffic circles with a third of the 12,538 internet users who took part agreeing that ‘Le masque d’André Malraux’ in Pontarlier (Doubs) was a worthy winner The towering installation – depicting the French novelist’s face – cost €15,000 The competition also exposed the costs of other roundabout artworks The ‘Arbre en ciel de Cugnaux’ in Haute-Garonne but even more eye-watering was an enormous sundial that totalled €298,000 the ‘Cadran solaire de Perpignan’ measured 30 metres long and 22 metres high Contribuables associés suggested a helicopter would be needed to read the time it has since been removed after being damaged during a gilets jaunes rally in 2019 it seems there is still a healthy appetite for roundabout art Some installations have become the subject of blogs and books and press photographer Ivan Guilbert is now producing an exhibition inspired by the topic Some artists have even forged a career out of roundabout art has created more than 40 sculptures for roundabouts in France at the request of various local municipalities He has been dubbed the ‘Rodin of rond-points’ who was commissioned in 2014 to make a sculpture for the round-about at the entrance of Lauzerte in Tarn-et-Garonne “I think it is important: art is a way of communication It is a pretext to speak about what you want,” he said His own creation was inspired by the village’s location on the Santiago de Compostela route – a figurative depiction of a pilgrim – and he worked with a group of local schoolchildren on the project “So the sculpture is not my sculpture – it is the sculpture of all the people of Lauzerte.” says he appreciates many people like these sorts of public artwork the group reminds readers that roundabouts have cost taxpayers at least €30billion in the last 40 years Is there one roundabout that Mr Leon actually likes “The rond-point of the Place de l’Etoile in Paris Installed in 1907 under the management of French architect and urban planner Eugène Hénard (1849-1923) it was the first roundabout in France and is still one of the busiest Read more: Frenchman pioneered concept of roundabouts Pride of place in its centre is one of the most visited installations in all of France – the Arc de Triomphe This ultimate roundabout artwork delights some 1.5 million tourists every year it pulled in an estimated six million to see it ‘wrapped’ in fabric as a posthumous tribute to artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude though – the €14million bill was met by the sale of original Christo artworks A guide to driving in France MAP: See which areas of France have reinstated a 90km/h speed limit From Renaissance to Hockney - 12 Spring exhibitions to see in France Impressionist masterpieces in Aix-en-Provence, a stylish Louvre exhibition, and a crime series to watch Behind the curtain: L’Intime Expo takes a fascinating look at people's private lives The abstract creations are being displayed until next week Bottled at 68 percent alcohol (which is a whopping 136 proof), this absinthe makes an herbaceous and extremely boozy Sazerac. Based on the original recipe that Pernod created in 1805, this spirit uses a grape eau de vie and grand wormwood from Pontarlier, France. It is spicy and vegetal with notes of fennel, black licorice candy and white pepper. Pair it with an equally peppery rye that has subtle vegetal notes like Knob Creek’s Single Barrel Rye or Rittenhouse Rye. Distilled in Pontarlier, France—which is hailed as the capital of absinthe and the source of some of the finest wormwood in the world—this absinthe is incredibly complex and flavorful with bright citrus notes and a strong herbal backbone. In a Sazerac, it lends a creamy texture and strong flavors of black licorice and fennel. Even the tiniest amount will boost the pepperiness commonly found in rye whiskies. The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers When you purchase through links on our site A century after absinthe was outlawed in France I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice the traditional time to quaff a pre-dinner absinthe into the forest near the Swiss village of Môtiers in search of a natural spring called the Fontaine à Louis during the century that absinthe was illegal la fée verte (the green fairy) hid a bottle of her forbidden liquor here for those seeking a covert aperitif we encountered a group of jovial Swiss men already toasting their good health and instead of being hidden in the foliage the bottle was sitting in a wooden birdhouse with a notice giving a telephone number to call if there's none left This tradition may have lost its clandestine thrill since the once-banned spirit was re-legalised in Switzerland a decade ago Nicolas poured us both a measure and I held my glass under the water trickling from the spring and watched it "trouble" the absinthe We clinked plastic beakers and the notoriously potent liquid My woodland apéro came half way along the fascinating Absinthe Trail a 35km tourist itinerary stretching from the Val-de-Travers in the Swiss Jura to Pontarlier in France's Haut-Doubs region the absinthe capital of the world until the French outlawed production in 1915 this walkable Franco-Swiss trail illuminates the rich history of la fée verte – nicknamed for its sometimes green tinge – from its immense popularity in the 19th century through its clandestine years in the 20th and resurgence in the 21st has long been used in medicinal remedies to treat myriad ailments including worms (hence the name) Exactly who first made it into an alcoholic liquor is a story as opaque as the drink itself saw its commercial potential and set up the first absinthe distillery in the village of Couvet in the Val-de-Travers nipped over the French border to establish his own distillery in Pontarlier It was here where absinthe really took off Pontarlier counted 25 distilleries producing 10 million litres a year and boasted a whopping 111 cafés selling absinthe there are only two distilleries left in Pontarlier The ban (only lifted in 2011) and the First World War closed most – but Distillerie Guy survived who led an eventually successful campaign to make absinthe legal again showed me the wormwood in the garden and the copper still where the intensely bitter plant is distilled before being macerated with other herbs such as aniseed but I got a chance to taste the end result when Pierre served it in the traditional manner: by letting water from an absinthe fountain (a kind of jug with taps) drip through a sugar cube placed on a slotted silver spoon over the glass until the spirit is troubled to your preferred taste the fountain and the pretty labels depicting the green fairy all add to the attractive aura of ritual and myth surrounding absinthe and I can see why it became so popular – but not with everyone Pontarlier's interesting museum details the backlash that followed absinthe's huge popularity in Belle Epoque Paris when it was the beverage of choice for heavy-drinking arty types such as Toulouse-Lautrec Among the exhibits is a 1906 petition by an anti-alcohol league blaming absinthe for madness that was a lie concocted by the wine industry whose vineyards were suffering from insect blight saying you'd have to drink six litres of absinthe in one day for the body to react badly to thujone if you drank six litres of absinthe you'd react badly to something – but it's more likely to be the 56-72 per cent alcohol The Swiss in particular continued to distil in secret beginning a near- century of clandestine history that has peppered the Absinthe Trail with colourful anecdotes In the village of Fleurier the garrulous Daniel Guilloud regaled me with stories of confiscations and fines I peered inside a reconstruction of the secret room where infamous distiller Le Poilu made his liquor fled to Kenya and continued his sell his absinthe in Del Monte pineapple tins Now that the bans have gone in both Switzerland and France I rounded off my trip at the annual absinthe festival in Boveresse (Pontarlier has its own this weekend) where stalls plied locals and tourists with free absinthes now honoured with awards rather than hidden away I troubled a final glass at the distillery of Philippe Martin who recently gave up a city job to come home and take on his father's once-clandestine business but now this region can champion a fascinating history and continue long-held traditions A Côté, Môtiers (00 41 79 240 13 13; acote-motiers.ch) Distillerie Guy (00 33 3 81 39 04 70; pontarlier-anis.com) Maison de l'Absinthe (00 41 32 860 10 00; maison-absinthe.ch) Distillerie La Valote Martin (00 41 32 861 2654; absinthe-originale.ch) Celle à Guilloud Absintherie (00 41 79 568 52 35; absinthecelleaguilloud.ch) routedelabsinthe.com uk.rendezvousenfrance.com myswitzerland.com Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Essaying the pop culture that matters since 1999 Even in his more controlled moments, Rhys Chatham has the ability to surprise listeners and confound writers who attempt to describe his music, myself included. Harmonie du soir is not an album that lights haystacks on fire while laughing with delirium, but who says that all No Wave minimalism has to do that? Sometimes all you have to do is just plunk something down to see if anyone else can lift it. he shares his choices for the three best absinthes for beginners Science buffs have plenty to get excited about when it comes to spirits. One of the most intriguing practices as of late is bringing cocktail ingredients back from the dead, and this absinthe from Jade Liqueurs is perfect evidence of that who lobbied Congress to help bring absinthe back to America specializes in resurrecting these old recipes,” says Elliott “Breaux reverse engineers [the absinthe] and resurrects it—like Pernod’s recipe from 1901.” Though the 1901 absinthe is a fine example of what was imbibed before Prohibition the more approachable Jade Nouvelle-Orléans is a great place for new absinthe drinkers to start and we’ll be surprised if this bottling doesn’t turn you into an absinthe lover for life The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden says the TGV route is running a deficit of 2.3 million a year and no signs of improvement appear in sight The line runs between Bern and Paris via Neuchâtel with stops in the French towns of Pontarlier an itinerary that takes more than six and a half hours “There is only one train a day and the route is long and winding,” Barbey told Tamedia’s French-language newspapers explaining that the service no longer meets the needs of passengers “And we see no possible evolution.” One of the problems dogging the service is that since the introduction of new links between Bern and Basel a third of passengers travelling from the Swiss capital to Paris have elected to go via Basel Lyria is jointly run by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and SNCF But both state-run railways are under pressure to cut costs Politicians from Neuchâtel and the French communities of Pontarlier and Frasne are alarmed at the prospect of losing the TGV service They met with Barbey and representatives of SBB and SNCF earlier this month  to insist on the need to maintain the link “Not everything is being done to promote the Bern-Neuchâtel-Paris line,” Marie-Guite Dufay chair of the Franche-Comté region is quoted as telling the Tamedia newspapers Dufay is also worried that the TGV line linking Lausanne and Paris may also be at risk after SNCF announced possible changes starting in 2015 She has sought guarantees that the line will continue to serve Frasne in France Barbey said Lyria was happy with the performance of the Lausanne-Paris “and there is no risk that it will disappear in the short- to medium-term.”  He said the only concern lies with planned construction work at the Lausanne train station which will result in two fewer platforms being available starting in 2015 that the rail operator could not guarantee long-term routes because “things can evolve rapidly in the rail sector” Please log in here to leave a comment Race favourite Alberto Contador took the Tour de France leader's yellow jersey when he surged less than six kilometres from the finish line to win the 15th stage yesterday 37-year-old Lance Armstrong discovered that time was on his Astana team-mate's side as the seven-times champion was unable to stay with the other favourites in the finale and finished one minute 35 seconds behind the victor had already suggested in Tour's previous mountain top finish in Andorra that he was peerless in the climbs The 2007 champion confirmed the impression in the 207.5-km ride from Pontarlier with a blistering attack in the first big ascent of the Alps to win by 43 seconds from Luxembourg's Andy Schleck Italian Vincenzo Nibali was third while Armstrong finished ninth and is now second overall Britain's Bradley Wiggins lies third in the standings The riders paid their respect to a woman who died on Saturday after being hit by a motorcycle in the race Tom Boonen pulled out before the peloton left Pontarlier after being ill all night The 28-year-old sprinter had not made an impact on the race and was 79th in the competition for the green points jersey please register for free or log in to your account.