A Magic Place

A Magic Place
The lovliest little village on the Cote d' Azur and occasionally it's mine.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Les Canadairs

If you spend anytime at all along the Cote d’Azur of Southern France you are bound to see the famous yellow fire-fighting aircraft, swooping down into the azur blue water and lifting-off with their full belly-load,  then, banking sharply, off into the distance toward the blazing fire.


These are known in these parts as the “les Canadairs”, a Canadian built aircraft especially designed for the purpose of fighting forest-fires.

In this part of France , well known for it’s 200+ sunny days a year, the hot Provencal sun... much like Southern California, makes it very prone to dry, scrub covered hillsides, here known as the garrigue. The herbs and shrubs that comprise the garrigue, may be quite aromatic under the Provencal sun, but... they are a tinderbox, a fire waiting to happen.

Being an ardent walker, and... being quite fond of walking among the callanques of Cassis, or the hills of Provence, I am aware that during certain periods of dryness, particularly in July and August, you are often  prohibited from walking in these areas for fear that the walkers may start forest-fires.

And yet, the fires do happen, fueled by the dry garrigue and the ubiquitous winds, often spreading across hundreds, sometimes, thousands of acres. It is a big problem, one often complicated by the rough terrain of the coast.

Et voila! Enter the les Canadairs, the local heroes. These planes will be quickly dispatched to a raging fire. They will circle one of the closest bays, swoop down and “swallow a bellyful” of water, then fly off to the fire to drop their precious load of water strategically onto the burning hill-sides. They have a most distinctive drone, perceptible from far off. When you hear it, you just know... les Canadairs! You can’t help it, whatever you are doing, you just stop, and... look for les Canadairs. You, and everybody else. It’s a bit of a local obsession. Everybody stops to watch the glorious performance of les Canadairs.

Just after lunch on our terrace today. We heard them first... then, there they were, five of them heading from the sea directly toward the village. It was really exciting, the approaching roar, the big yellow planes banking sharply over the village, and one after another, swooping down into our bay. As they lifted off the surface one by one, they released their loads in great showers.  Aaah... just a practice run... that’s good.

It was just spectacular!!!

Vivre les Canadairs!!! The local heroes.





A’ bientot
Cousin







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