Inside Garden of Eden group the place Alex Batty’s mum Melanie lived

Pictures reveal life contained in the Garden of Eden ‘religious group’ in southern France the place Alex Batty’s fugitive mom is alleged to have lived – only a few miles from the place the ‘kidnapped’ British teenager was discovered after six years. 

Melanie Batty, 43, is alleged to have joined the group in late summer season after it sprang up in February this 12 months at an deserted campsite only a quick drive from Chalabre, Aude.

The property was purchased by some 50 members of the ‘Conscience Verte’ [Green Conscious] affiliation, who cleared the farmland to carry festivals all through the summer season and took up residence in tents and ramshackle huts on the 43-hectare website.

About 5 miles away, a restaurant proprietor in Chalabre claims he served Melanie, who he knew as ‘Rose’, together with Alex and his grandfather David, as just lately as final Saturday. 

It comes amid claims that 17-year-old Alex informed French cops his mom had gone to Finland as she ‘wished to see the Northern Lights’, one thing which residents have denied.

Spread over 43 hectares of farmland, the ‘L’Eden’, the place Melanie is assumed to have stayed below the title Rose, has flower meadows, woods and has a river working by way of it. 

Tents, teepees and huts are dotted across the rolling hills and horses, canines and cats wander round at will.

An expat Briton, who has lived in Chalabre for greater than 20 years, stated: ‘I do know Rose and her household. She just isn’t in Finland, like it’s being stated within the press.

‘Rose was dwelling on the ‘Garden of Eden’ group. They have plenty of festivals all through the summer season and he or she went there continuously.

‘At the top of the summer season she moved in there, initially of October, I ought to assume. She was dwelling there till a few month in the past. She left when the climate acquired unhealthy. She rented a room at a pal’s home.

‘In reality, Rose has been right here till only a few days in the past. She lastly left the realm on Saturday morning. She felt she wasn’t secure with all of the media consideration.

‘I do not know the place she has gone.’

Two members of the ‘Conscience Verte’ affiliation refused to debate the whereabouts of ‘Rose’ – Melanie Batty – after they had been approached on the ‘Garden of Eden’ group.

One man stated: ‘I do not know an English lady known as Rose. And even when I did I would not inform you.’

French investigators are understood to have been engaged on the idea that his mom Melanie had just lately left France with out Alex to go to Finland to see the northern lights – whereas his grandfather David was stated to have died six months in the past.

But now the proprietor of the Café des Sports in South West France has informed how he’s sure he noticed Alex with mom Melanie and grandfather David as a household group having fun with drinks on his terrace on the afternoon of Saturday December 9.

This was simply 4 days earlier than he was picked up by a lorry driver within the early hours of Wednesday December 13 as he walked alongside a rustic street south of Toulouse within the pouring rain.

The café is in Chalabre, Aude, about 30 miles from the farmhouse Gite the place Alex Batty was dwelling together with his grandfather. 

The café is a number of miles from the nation street the place {the teenager} was picked up by the lorry driver at midnight.

Valentin Petrini, 46, proprietor of the Café des Sports, in Chalabre, Aude, stated: ‘The boy, Alex, was right here together with his mom and grandfather about ten days in the past. it will need to have been final Saturday, within the afternoon, say at about 2.30pm.

‘They are available in once in a while. The mom, Rose, comes inside to cost her cellphone and use the wifi.

‘She was right here along with her son, who we knew as Zach, and her father, Peter.

‘Rose likes to drink a espresso.

‘I’ve met them a number of occasions.

‘Rose launched me to her father Peter. He is a craftsman in wooden. They confirmed me photos of his work and stated he may do any repairs that had been wanted. His work seemed good however to be trustworthy I can try this myself.

‘He appeared good. He solely drank alcohol free beer, Heineken Blue. He stated he was following the trail of Jesus.

‘After that dialog all three of them went to sit down on the terrace. It was a pleasant day. Zach drank a coke.

‘Like everybody else round right here, I had no concept that the boy had been kidnapped by his personal mom and that the household had been fugitives. They appeared completely satisfied collectively.

‘Rose used to reside by the lake exterior of the village. I’ve somewhat bar there and I might see her there.

‘In the summer season the boy would go there to swim within the lake and journey his bicycle.

‘At the top of the summer season Rose left that campsite and went to reside with another group someplace close to right here.’

Bar maid Viviane Petrini added: ‘The English lady Rose was right here along with her father and her son Zach final Saturday. I served them.’

Alex Batty disappeared six years in the past when he didn’t return to Britain from a pre-arranged journey to Spain with mom Melanie and grandfather David.

Greater Manchester Police put out a lacking individuals alert for the teenager who was 11 on the time.

Alex, now aged 17, was reunited together with his grandmother Susan Caruana, who’s his authorized guardian, in Oldham, on Saturday night time.

He had been dwelling at a distant farmhouse within the hamlet of La Bastide together with his grandfather who labored as a handyman because the autumn of 2021.

He was cared for by the French household that owned the farmhouse, and was thought of as a part of the household.

But Alex wished to return to the UK to get id paperwork in order that he may research laptop science at college.

Greater Manchester Police are at present contemplating whether or not to launch a felony investigation into his disappearance.