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[T519]The Hives Veni Vidi

by Mary Smith, Mar

Imagine rising one morning after a good lay in, slipping into some comfortable clothes and strolling through a beautiful park to take the healing thermal waters of a grand spa town. You may enjoy a mud bath, bathing in the hot spring waters or drinking the waters (although this would be strictly for medicinal purposes as the taste is not the reason most people would choose for ingesting them!).

This is a common activity in picturesque Vichy, located on the banks of the river Allier in the Allier department in the north of the Auvergne region in France. The famous Vichy name is reflected in the grand and beautiful spa buildings and parks of this attractive town.

The Romans were the first to recognise the healing properties of Vichy water but the town fell into obscurity after this and it was not until the 17th century that the spas were resurrected. The spas were frequented by the French nobility in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. One of the most prominent and frequent visitors was Napoleon III, positively influencing the towns status among the elite. Since the Second Empire the town has been a popular retreat for countless celebrities.Many of the grandest buildings were constructed at the turn of the 20th century and have been restored and are protected by statute to preserve a rich part of France's cultural and architectural heritage. A fantastic range of architectural styles are exhibited in the town reflecting the design influences of the period, from Byzantine to Alpine chalets. The Parc des Sources, designed under the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte in the late 18th century, is the epicentre of the towns spa district, and connects the main springs. On the south edge of the park is the Grand Casino-Theatre which opened in 1865. Originally housing various assembly rooms and gaming halls it was renovated and extended at the turn of the 20th century to include a theatre and opera house. The sumptuous Art Nouveau interior and Belle Époque façade overlooking the park, to which it is linked by a beautiful flight of steps, make this one of the grandest buildings in Vichy. Today, the original gaming hall has been extensively renovated to provide modern conference facilities.

The six Vichy thermal springs contain primarily bicarbonate of soda and carbonic acid and the waters are used to treat a variety of conditions such as diabetes, migraine, digestive disorders and rheumatism. The hot springs provide the basis for the Vichy drinking cures. The waters in the Grand Grille rise at a temperature of 40ºC/104ºF from a depth of 1,000-1,200m. The Chomel (41ºC/106ºF) spring was captured in 1750 by a doctor and bears his name. A third hot spring, the Hopital (33ºC/91.4ºF) rises in the pavilion behind the casino. The Parc is a 'cold' spring (24ºC/75ºF) which rises in the Parc des Sources. The cold spring, the Lucas (24ºC/75ºF) is another spring named after a doctor, although he bought rather than discovered the spring in the early 1800's. The third cold spring is the Celestins (21.5ºC/71ºF), named after the Celestins monastery founded in 1410. It is the waters of this spring which are bottled and sold commercially worldwide. All six springs are brought together in the Hall des Sources, the symbolic centre of the spa. One of the largest of the thermal establishments is the Centre Thermal des Domes which, in keeping with its surroundings, is of architectural note. The gold enamelled roof tiles over the central dome and roof cupolas are one of this buildings many stunning features, designed in the neo-Moorish style by Charles Lacour. Up to 2500 people can be treated in these pump rooms each morning.

The beautiful Auvergne region contains many other spa towns providing a variety of treatments and cures. Among these are La Bourboule, Le Mont Dore, Royat, and St. Nectaire, each towns waters being best suited to a different type of treatment or cure.

So, if you require a healthy retreat in beautiful surroundings, then Vichy, or any of the other spa towns in the Auvergne, could be the perfect place for you.

It is fun, cheap, productive and easy to do. One of the advantages to jug fishing is that you can spread your jugs over a much larger area than is possible any other type of setline. It is also much easier to re-locate juglines from an unproductive area than it is for other setlines.

Juglines can catch catfish, from eating size all the way to behemoths in the 50+ lb. range. They are a great way to catch many catfish in a short period. It is also one of the least expensive methods of fishing. All that is actually required is a boat of some kind (or raft, float-tube or even an air mattress), bait, plastic jugs, string and terminal tackle.

Commercially made, pre-rigged fishing jugs are on the market, but you can also make your own very easily and cheaply. A Jug unit consists of a plastic jug (old milk or Sunny Delight jugs work great. So do Anti-Freeze jugs and 2 liter plastic soda bottles), a mainline (usually heavy kite or parcel string), a weight, hooks and some monofilament leaders.

You can rig several hooks on each jugline. You can let the weight go all the way to the bottom, or rig it at a certain depth and let it drift, to cover more water.

To make a jug line, you need:

A plastic jug
Silicone sealant (caulk)
A roll of braided nylon twine
Several size 1-2/0 Aberdeen hooks (your choice)
White spray paint (if required in your state)
Permanent Marker (if required in your state)
Reflective tape (if required in your state)
Heavy (1-3 oz.) bell sinker
10-25 lb. monofilament (for leaders)

Check your jugs for cracks and splits. This is best done by filling them with water and look for leaks. Many States require jugs to be white or a bright color. If so, then start by painting your jugs with the white spray paint and let them dry. Then squeeze some silicone into the caps and screw them on. Allow them to dry. This is to make sure they are watertight.

Next, unroll a length of the braided nylon twine, about 25-30' should be plenty. Tie one end of the twine securely to the handle of the jug (or around the neck if using soda bottles) so that it cannot come off. Your depth can be adjusted by wrapping, or unwrapping the line around the handle.

Next, tie the bell sinkers to the bottom of each rig. I prefer using a Perfection Loop knot for this. Now, for each hook, you can snell them with the monofilament. You only need about a 10" leader. Starting from the bottom, tie on a hook at the 3' mark, using a three-way or barrel swivel.

Then, go up to the 6' level and tie a hook, and so on, until you have all the hooks you want on it. I recommend sticking with just three, for simplicity. Repeat for each jug unit.

If your state requires it, then put reflective tape on the top of the jug and use the permanent marker to write your name, address, phone number, and any other required information on the top of the jug. To store the units, simply wrap the mainline around the handles and the bodies of the jugs until you are ready to use them.

Article Source : Where To Travel Alone

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