Index to Recent News Items which are of interest to you, my Readers Reprints of Books Autoroutes Thefts My Health My Diet My Brother (Web-site author) Updated on 10th November 2002 REPRINTS This facility is now set up for those customers who have not bought copies of BB1 or BB2 (both now out of print) and BB3 (see 'Orders' box on home page) - and would perhaps like to have copies of specific articles from these publications. Lauréat 2000 was distributed with BB2 and Mountain Magic with BB3. From time to time I shall also add additional new articles, written in the same format as the books; these will be highlighted with the label 'New'. I may also add reworked versions of Mapaholics France and French Leave Finesse. AUTOROUTES Some of you will already know how amazingly useful two mainly toll-free French autoroutes have become: the A75 and A20. The toll-free A75, from Clermont-Ferrand to Clermont-l’Hérault, crosses the entire length of the Massif Central. What a dramatic difference this autoroute has made, for both access to a string of glorious unknown regions of France – Cantal, Aubrac and the Cévnnes just three among many, and for the speed of crossing the massive range-upon-range of mountains. Do any of you recall the old, alternative N9 crossing? Alas, one critical section remains unfinished: the western bypass of Millau. This entails a vast, futuristic viaduct across the mighty Tarn Gorge; what an engineering triumph this will prove to be when completed some years into the future. The A20, from Vierzon, south of Orléans, to the A62 at Montauban, is almost complete. Toll-free to Brive-la-Gaillarde the A20 is a toll autoroute to Montauban. The section from sorties 55 to 58 remains unfinished, from Souillac to Cahors. The reason for this is again simple: the viaducts across the Dordogne and Lot are not yet complete. Neither are as horrendously difficult as the A75 Tarn crossing; not surprisingly the A20 will be finished much sooner than the A75. (1st  November 2000)

THEFTS For twenty years I have warned readers of the ever-increasing number of thefts along the Mediterranean coastline - from the person, motor vehicles and property. The problem has reached epidemic proportions. The lack of warnings from tourist offices, both in France and elsewhere, hotels, tour operators and car rental companies is scandalous. When guests at du Bosquet in Pégomas report no less than five handbag snatches in the village during this summer then you can be sure my dire warnings apply to every community in the south. My advice is to be on your guard everywhere in France. If you are hiring cars at Nice Airport you are most vulnerable when you are loading the vehicle with your baggage, One Irish reader’s document bag, with papers, cash and cheques, was snatched at this vulnerable time. Five minutes later, as he walked back to both Hertz and the police to report the theft, the same young thief attempted to snatch another briefcase from him in the airport buildings. It is shameful that the car rental companies, airport authorities and the French police (not that you would expect their wretched representatives to care one iota) do not do more to warn travellers of this scam. (16th August 2000) MY HEALTH Since my last communication in May 2001 I am continuing with Casodex. For more details go to My Health. (22nd  August 2002) MY DIET For those of you interested I enclose a page with details of the dietary regime that I am practising. For more details go to My Diet. (14th September 2002) MY BROTHER This is the man responsible for setting up this web site for me. He also is responsible for printing all my recent books. He's my brother Keith, and the dog goes by the name of Zulu. Unfortunately Zulu has now passed on at the age of 16. (1st November 2000)

Any queries or correspondence on any of the above to: Richard Binns, at: 6 Chandlers House, The Moorings, Myton Road, Leamington Spa CV31 3QD, England