The Bordeaux appeal court has upheld a decision to stop construction of a bypass around Beynac et Cazenac that passed through an area of great natural beauty.
People have campaigned long and hard for this result, stating that it would be an environmental disaster taking a major road through one of France’s Unesco biosphere reserves.
Work was suspended a year ago following the Conseil d’Etat request for further review. Dordogne departmental council appealed but the decision was upheld with instructions that the site must be returned to its original state within a year.
This comes two years after the Dordogne prefecture approved the thirty two million bypass, half of which has already been spent. Dordogne departmental council intend to appeal to a higher court and request that the demolition of the work already done be put on hold pending further appeal.
Baynac.
Part of the construction already undertaken.
The pillars for the bridge were nearly completed when construction had to stop.
A lot of work is needed to return the above to its natural state. I am thinking more than a year but I could be wrong.
Just a few steps out of our courtyard and I was in glorious sunshine.
Castlenaud, underneath the duck egg blue sky.
Just past the bridge at Castlenaud on the road to Milandes we stopped to watch the river. It is at a very high level but not going over the bank, thank goodness.
Paul took another picture for me from the opposite direction. It shows how very high and fast flowing the river is.
The first signs of Spring, on the branches of this tree are little catkins.
Not a lot of green on the trees yet but tiny buds and the ivy is showing signs of growth.
Le place de la Liberté, Daglan basking in the sunshine.
Our French Dream 