A Place To Go To™ V

Le jour 360 de Sarko

Pave is always seeking new attractions in France to sway the undecided vacationer.* This summer consider flirting with malaria.

FRANCE FEARS PLAGUE OF MOSQUITOES IN MED RESORTS

PARIS May 3, 2008 (Guardian) - Authorities in southern France fear a possible mosquito invasion in tourist resorts this summer and blame EU regulations which prevent them from using the most efficient insecticide.

THIRD WORLD VACATION
At First World Prices

The area affected runs from the Camargue down to the Spanish border. Agents from the EID, the Entente interdépartementale de démoustication which clears thousands of hectares of marshland each year, say the new rules are forcing them to carry out this year's operation in record time, and with no guarantee of success, following recent rain.

For the first time since the early 1960s they cannot use temephos** - a pesticide now banned by the European Union. Instead the EID says it is obliged to turn to a bacterium considered to be more environment-friendly, but which experts argue leaves little margin for error.

... Whereas simple contact with temephos was enough to kill the larvae, one agent explained that BTI [Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis strain EG2215] had to be ingested within a specific time period to be effective. EID agent:

If it doesn't work, we can't re-do the treatment because it's already too late.

... The EID stresses it is "not panicking" about any potential reduction of tourist numbers. Bernard Sauvaire, head of the regional tourism chamber, told Le Figaro:

The EID's operations have always been successful. We're simply much more alert.

Christian Jean, the EID chairman, said he hoped the extra planning would help "avoid catastrophe".

Let's see, EID operations have always been successful, but past successes were the result of spraying temephos, the effective insecticide now banned. (Pause.) Why are we not reassured?

UN AUTRE NOUVEAU PANNEAU DE SIGNALISATION
Ouch! Bumps Ahead

The EID is not panicking but its chairman is left hoping to "avoid catastrophe". (Pause.) The "catastrophe" to which M. Jean, the EID chairman, alludes is any personal responsibility for the failure of an operation under his supervision that requires precision timing, with no room for error. The EID does not panic because it has already taken the precaution of blaming the EU.

Vacation in France, the thrills are free.

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* See here, here, here, here, and here.

** More on temephos here.

PFFT (What is this?): Bienvenue en France ½ | Rayonnement français ½