This year, the 2007 edition of our coveted Gaulish University took place at the Comédie des Champs-Elysées in Lutetia. Rest assured, everyone was well-behaved; nobody threw themselves at the buffet (and excellent it was too).
Everyone was especially thunderstruck by the 3-hour speech presenting the future activities of our favourite little Gaul. Music (not Celtic) played while various speakers from around the world took their place on the stage. At the very end, just as our druid Albert Uderzo climbed onstage, the introduction to Purple Haze echoed in the golden surrounds! After all, Djimihendrix was a true Gaul, just as his name goes to prove, doesn't it?
We have already demonstrated that Asterix is an archetype (see Missive 66) and that a Gaulish project might have ambitions reaching beyond our borders. Before letting you discover the portfolio of the "incredible" manifestation, I'll wind you up a bit (it's been a while hasn't it?). Let me just tell you that the University ended with a short bit on the "making of" the film, Asterix at the Olympic Games, which left everyone flabbergasted, dumbstruck, knocked out, in other words, absolutely astounded! Those one hundred and fifty chosen few have been after us ever since with: "How many days before the launch?" After counting on our fingers comes the answer: "Another 350 days yet! Out on 30 January 2008!"... If we don't want any civil unrest at the Village, we're going to have to create a countdown on our website homepage! Get to work Tapisdesourix!

With a view to raising the ire of Martine Aubry, great priestess from the North who knows not the Picard language, we are planning on publishing a second Asterix album in Picard, so there! The same team of translators, (one heck of a trio) - Alain Dawson, Jean-Luc Vigneux and Jacques Dulphy - is currently cooped up in a bunker, guarded by Gaulish sympathizers. It's absolutely out of the question that Lille sympathizers come to spoil our fun by contesting this major cultural work: the publication of a complete album (The Great Divide) in Picard for all! In plain language, the ch'timis from the North and the Picards from the South are bashing each other's heads with Unhygienix's fish trying to reach an agreement. That's Gaulish consensus for you! The outcome will be the Picard version of Albert Uderzo's album, the album that best reflects the current events taking place in our beautiful Gaul "copé in deu" ("split in two" in Picard language)!
Just for the sake of fun, and to bring a smile to your face and mobilise lovers of the French language, we will be taking things one step further with the creation of a Picard Blog!
You can find out all about it (in French only) by clicking here. Articles (we expect a text from Martine Aubry, of course) and information on this project's progress will be covered by major specialists.
In fact, Tapisdesourix has promised to create a myspace/asterixinpicard page, which would be a direct link to the blog, while allowing web users from around the world to discover this reality! "Freedom for Picardy"! Paf! Can you guess who made the first blunder?
PS: From now on, you will find a new hut on our homepage in French; it's Postaldistrix who is gathering all our blogs, and this is just the beginning!