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franceon first arriving in France - driving the French umbrella & Aurillac the forest
as seen by francois mauriac, and today the Citroën 2CV: Marianne - a French national symbol, with French definitive stamps the calendar of the French Revolution mardi gras! carnival in Basque country what a hair cut! m & french pop/rock country life in France: the poultry fair the greatest show on Earth - the Tour de France short biography of Pierre (Peter) Abelard
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Motorway aires are designed to provide a suitable environment for relaxing, refreshing and recovering during the long, hard journeys. As well as facilities of often dubious nature, picnic tables and seats, a telephone kiosk, there are often optional extras such as a play area or a display related to some local interest or event.
Mas d’Agenais aire The aire of Mas d’Agenais, near Agen on the A62 autoroute, is a large, relatively quiet aire comprising a large open, grassed area, with literally cooling showers, and a wooded area. Under the trees and elsewhere are varnished picnic tables with seats. In summer, some of these are in deep shade, but flying insects can be a problem in some seasons and some times of day. As a feature, there is also a palombière - an area for dove raising and housing. [Report applies to the northbound aire.] However, this was closed when we visited and it was not clear when it might be open for visitors. This aire has no café, petrol station or shop. In the southern, hotter regions of France, there are often what the motorway company calls “refreshing showers”. Outside the hot season, the water is turned off and the showers are bleak metal sticks. But come the blasting summer heat, le canicule [2], the showers work - press the button to set off a mist of cooling, invigorating water. (Because of the heat, damp clothes are no problem.)
Aires have picnic areas with tables, benches and waste bins. At Mas d’Agenais, these are placed under the shade of a deciduous wood.
Aires often offer an inventive solution to an everyday item. Here, a relaxing chair becomes a sculpted sine wave. Remarkably comfortable for a lump of shaped concrete.
The Mas d’Agenais aire reviewed on this page is only accessible from the northbound direction of the A62 autoroute. There is also a twin large aire on the southbound side of the autoroute, but without the spray-mist showers and the (likely closed) palombière [abelard.org has not yet visited Mas d’Agenais Sud]. The Mas d’Agenais aire is in Département 47. end notes
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