Autour du lac du Magnoac or around the lake Magnoac

This blog entry is all to do with the fervent whispers and rumours that are circulating the towns coffee bar, or Joe's as we know it about our lac. Before we had the house seven years ago, we were looking at property or rather an old house with a tree growing through it in Larroque. The agent was talking about a reservoir for the cows and possibly a boating lake, beautiful views, it would have been difficult to manage from England, so we did not buy it. However we had always been interested in the town of Castelnau on the other side of the basin from almost the first year when we started looking in the area. Anyway the rest is histoire, we bought in Castelnau across from the basin and a year later things began to happen. 

Years later the shallow basin bowl has been totally transformed, this is what has set the local tongues wagging. What it says apart from the fact that they have now built a boating pontoon, is that they are waiting for final water tests to say it is ok for sailing, I guess that's if you fall in and swallow the water??!

the article causing all the new whispers

Five years later having bought our house in Castelnau, we are looking at a beautiful lake with the backdrop of the mountains, a place to walk, fish and exercise and now perhaps swim and sail around as well. They have worked so hard to landscape it with miles of native hedges and young trees, this has bought a variety of birds and wildlife into and around the lac. There has been a drying process over the three years to harden the bottom where we have worried about the already thriving habitat mainly the fish and where are they going to go. There is plenty of evidence of the occupants as from April they are surfacing in hot weather to catch the surface insects. Then there is the fishermen (with permit) and long before them the fishing birds (without permit) such as the heron and the egret, whom eat frogs, fish insects alike. Also copyu in the lake and roe deer and wild boar who come to drink at the waters edges

the year of the new lac

august 2009 looking empty and dry

This is so lovely to be able to roll out of bed and have the luxury and freedom to walk around morning,

midday or afternoon ...truly amazing. you are never alone if you are not accompanied by red admirals, 

painted ladies, peacocks, lots of different varieties also bird life on the lac such as herons, egrets, wagtails to name a few.... you may also be accompanied by the local farm collie

full and positively glowing

last night there was an amazing sunset, today we are on red alert and very stormy weather

i like this one, as they were making shapes of the mountains in their drift!

Common Spotted orchid

view halfway round on the other side of the lac, they are still letting it empty,
which is why the outskirts still look a little baron

egrets, I've had a few;
but then again, too few to mention....