French village faces influx of apocalypse believers
22 December 2010 Last updated at 06:11 ET
The mayor of Bugarach, Jean-Pierre Delord, poses in Bugarach, December 2010 Mr Delord says US websites are selling tickets for trips to Bugarach
A French mayor has expressed concern over an influx of New Age believers to his village who are convinced they will escape the end of the world in 2012.
Jean-Pierre Delord, mayor of Bugarach, says rumours are circulating that the village offers shelter from an impending Armageddon.
Bugarach is a small village of about 200 people in south-west France.
The mayor says that in recent years the village has attracted visitors looking for alien activity.
Now it is seeing visitors who predict that the end of civilisation is due to occur in two years' time, he says.
They believe the world will end on 21 December 2012, the end of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the ancient Maya calendar.
More on this foolishness may be read here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12058674
