MILLAU , subprefecture of the Aveyron département
and second town after Rodez in the old province of Rouergue, occupies a
beautiful site in a bend of the River Tarn at its junction with the
Dourbie. It is enclosed on all sides by impressive white cliffs, formed
where the rivers have worn away the edges of the causses , especially on the north side, where the spectacular table-top hill of the Puech d'Andan stands sentinel over the town. From medieval until modern times, thanks to its proximity to the sheep pastures of the causses
, the town was a major manufacturer of leather goods, especially
gloves. Although outclassed by cheaper producers in the mass market and
suffering serious unemployment as a result, Millau still leads in
top-of-the-range goods. The town recently hit the headlines when one of
its residents, 47-year-old José Bové , leader of the
farm-workers' union, was put on trial and given a three-month sentence
for his involvement in trashing a McDonald's restaurant that was being
built in Millau in 1999. He was protesting against globalization and
against la mal bouffe - junk food. Around 40,000 supporters turned out at his trial and he is regarded as a hero by many French farmers.
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