Clarée
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Lautaret, Galibier and heights of Claree
After going back up to the Granon Pass the following morning, we set off on a hike to discover the Cristol lakes.
1. We discover the lake after passing through the Door of Cristol, a small pass 2 miles away from Granon.
2. View on the Aiguille Rouge, the Pass of Thures and Italy.
3. Emile the hiker. 😉
4. The place is really beautiful.
5. We then head back towards the Door of Cristol to discover the second lake called Round Lake of Cristol.
6. Upstream, there is a beautiful peat bog.
7. We do some groceries shopping in Serre-Chevalier and then head back up towards the Galibier. We find a boondocking spot at the top of a hill where only 4x4s can access. Can you spot VivaLaVida ?
8. Emile is practicing his dribbling there, it’s Soccer World Cup season! 😉
The next day, after passing the Col du Galibier, we go up on mountain bikes to discover the lakes near the Pass of Rochilles.
9. Grand Ban lake.
10. Recovery…
11. Round Lake and Pass of Rochilles.
12. Beyond the pass, this small lake marks the source of the Claree river..
13. The alpine pasture at the bottom of the military road on the Galibier side.
14. Our camp just above.
15. …near a beautiful stream.
16. We enjoy to cool off.
17. Late afternoon light.
18. View toward northwest.
More to come in the next article soon.
Back to Clarée Valley
Still unable to walk much because of my sprained ankle, we decide to go back up to the beautiful Clarée Valley that we had discovered last year in the same season and discover the Fontcouverte waterfall, taking advantage of the golden larches to take some pictures.
1. The Clarée River upstream from the waterfall.
2. Fontcouverte waterfall.
3. I’m playing to look for some compositions.
4. Variation.
5. In the morning, we’re almost alone at this season while in summer, it is constantly crowded.
6. A little further up the valley.
7. We have our lunch under a mountain pasture.
8. Last view of this beautiful valley before changing corners… Since last year, signs prohibiting wild camping have grown everywhere and the only campsite there is closed for the season.
9. After a few tens of miles, we are at the very top of the Vallon de l’Orceyrette, above the Chalets de L’Alp. We are completely alone there for a quiet bivouac at about 7,900 feet elevation.
10. We discover the surroundings of the camp. This bottom of the valley is still wild.
11. View looking north.
12. We enjoy a nice campfire to cook our meal there.
Continuation and end of this few days trip shortly! 😉
Fall holidays (3)
1. This high valley of the Clarée is just magnificent at this season!
2. Back from our hike to Long Lake, we still walk along the river.
3. Emile takes the opportunity to play one of his favorite hobbies:
4. … throw stones in the water!
5. I enjoy the superb views over the valley.
6. What a beautiful alpine river!
7. Last look on the way back down to Bardonecchia.
8. Back in Italy, we take a trail to Fort Jafferau, a former Italian fort built at the top of Mount Jafferau, at 9,150 feet elevation.
9. While the west slope climb is steep and requires the use of short gears for several miles, a pipe from VLV’s cooling system cracks, forcing me to stop for two hours to make a makeshift repair. But we still get to the top at the end of the day.
10. As the wind is still blowing strong, we descend a few miles on the other side for the night.
11. The end of the day offers beautiful views.
12. The sun has already set when I light the fire. A red fox comes and watch us from just a few feets away while I cook on the campfire.
13. Dusk…
14. … before a night lulled by the wind.
that’s it for today. I have one last article to be published soon, which will close this 2021 season in VivaLaVida. 🙂
Fall holidays (2)
Continuation of these few days of relaxation and discovery…
1. To descend from Mont-Cenis to Italy, VivaLaVida discovers a trail, an old border road, some passages of which are spectacular.
2. Passage near the pretty little lake of Roterel…
3. … as the sky clears.
4. The larches are already gorgeous with their yellow-orange hue…
5. Turns…
6. Another small lake, Arpon Lake, just after the Italian border.
7. We make a little stop for the lunch…
8. … near a pretty mountain pasture already closed this season.
9. While waiting for the grocery store to open – it is closed at nap time – Emile improves his cycling technique! 🙂
10. We take the direction of the upper valley of the Claree via the Col de l’Echelle (Ladder Pass).
11. Wake up at the end of the road on a beautiful fall day ideal for a mountain walk.
12. At 5 years old, Emile is a good walker, 5 or 10 miles uphill doesn’t frighten him!
13. Climb to Long Lake in the midst of the fall colors.
14. Arrival at the lake where the temperature hardly exceeds 32°F.
15. Immaculate tranquility…
16. Break sheltered from the strong North wind.
17. Lac Long in a setting of blueberries reddened by autumn.
18. Meeting with a beautiful cricket a little numb by the cold.
19. Going back down to VivaLaVida
More soon… 🙂
D5 Creation