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2023 Holidays, here we go!
After a spring somewhat upset by Emile’s diagnosis, it was not until July that VivaLaVida left its winter quarters to resume service.
Three days for a big engine, transmission and running gear service – thanks to the Garage BN in St-Martin/FR for the loan of the place – two additional days to reload all the stuff and we’re ready to leave towards South on July 15th. Emile is in heaven, he who has been asking me for two months “When are we going to travel again in VivaLaVida?!”. After a first night in the campground where we had waited for the wheel studs two years ago – Emile was hoping to see Lilou again, a little girl he met during our last stay – we continue towards the Pyrenees.
1. First spot that we are gonna discover, the “Fontaine des Amours” (Fountain of Loves), a pretty natural pool.
2. Not very far, we explore the remains of a Roman bridge…
3. It was rebuilt identically after a major flood thirty years ago.
4. We find a quiet boondocking place not far to spend the night in the hills of Ariège…
5. … and we make the first and last campfire of this vacation for our barbecue. While it has rained a lot here and the risk of wildfire is non-existent this evening, it won’t be the same later…
6. After reaching Andorra la Vella where we shop some groceries to fill the fridge, we decide to drive up to Pico Negro. The trail has become so busy that there is a guard of Guarda Civile who charges €25 at the start of the trail. As it’s already late afternoon, VLV climbs without stopping too much on a track in places very washed out by storms and reaches a first flat area at around 7,200 feet elevation. We don’t meet anyone there.
7. After approx. an hour’s drive, she arrives in sight of the summit, at about 8,900 feet above sea level.
8. After the summit, we go further to the famous VW van carcass near which we spend the night.
9. VLV at the camp…
10. Climbing on the small summit overlooking it…
11. … to enjoy sunset.
12. Evening quietness…
13. See you tomorrow sunshine !
14. Dusk…
See you soon for more! 😀
Last day before heading Home…
In the early morning, we go discover an altitude marsh spotted during our walk the day before..
1. A source there creates a stream that meanders on a flat.
2. At its end, a small pond formed.
3. We don’t hang around too long because it’s chilly this morning.
4. Change of place to discover the bottom of the valley of Vallouise Pelvoux, at a place called Le Pré de Madame Carle. We discover a sub-glacial zone where the floods of the river create a gravel bar like those visited in Alaska.
5. We are at the treeline altitude, which causes a certain alpine aridity at this place.
6. View from our lunch spot. They are worse, isn’t it?
7. On the way back, between Briançon and the Lautaret pass.
8. Thanks to the off-road capabilities of VivaLaVida, we find a nice promontory to boondock on the northern slope of the Galibier pass.
9. Out of sight of the road, our afternoon end is perfectly quiet there.
10. A last campfire for grilling some corns and meal.
11. And a last image of this short week of travel with pretty colors at sunrise Sunday morning…
Back at home, we plan one or two more weekend outings before VivaLaVida returns to its wintering place. I’ll tell you about those in a while.
Thank you for your loyalty to follow this little blog! 😀
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! 😉
Jafferau fortress, then Vallée étroite (Narrow valley)…
While setting up camp, I badly sprained my ankle. Despite the ointment applied quickly and a bandage to try to succeed in putting the foot on the ground, I will have to revise the plans. Damn! Here I am forced to give up a hike planned in two days. So, after having slept just under Fort Jafferau, we decide to take a look at this fortress in ruins.
1. South portal or what’s left of it…
2. Here, canon battery bases with the arcs indicating the directions of fire.
3. And one of the many vaulted chambers which likely served as cantonment.
4. Bird’s eye view of an alpine pasture below.
5. Panoramic view of Ecrins mountains to the West.
6. Descent to Bardonecchia via the northwest side.
7. We take advantage of the afternoon to discover the Vallée Etroite (Narrow Valley) straddling the Franco-Italian border. The enfilade towards Mount Thabor is magnificent with the fall colors.
8. Opposite, by where we arrived.
9. The river that carved out this valley, called Narrow Valley Stream.
10. I take advantage of varying the compositions since I can hardly walk. Variation 1.
11. Variation 2.
12. And one last before leaving to do some grocery shopping in Bardonecchia and refuel VivaLaVida since the strikes in France make the refill difficult.
The rest with a return into the Clarée Valley in a few days. Thanks! 😀
Lacs et Queyras…
1. Dernière soirée dans le Val Argentera.
2. Le Lago Nero (Lac Noir), proche de la frontière franco-italienne, bondé ce jour-là alors que plusieurs colonies s’y sont données rendez-vous pour la journée. Nous décidons ainsi de poursuivre la piste vers un autre lac d’altitude.
3. Campement à 2’400 m. d’altitude.
4. Emile s’entraîne à faire des ricochets.
5. Quiétude…
6. Préparation du souper.
7. Couchant
8. On se couvre un peu alors que la brise du soir rafraîchit l’atmosphère.
Ensuite, nous partons découvrir le Colle Agnello qui relie la haute vallée du Queyras à l’Italie. La vallée qui y mêne est magnifique, nous y reviendront à l’occasion.
9. Dernier lacets avant le col alors que la brume bouche le versant italien.
10. Nous trouvons un bivouac sur le versant italien, près d’un petit lac.
11. Et surprise, la brume se retire en début de soirée…
12. J’en profite pour tirer le portrait à ce joli petit lac.
13. Dernières lueurs sur les sommets.
14. Village aux traditionnels toits de pierre sur la descente côté italien.
La suite dans le prochain post.
Fall holidays (4)
1. Wake up at 8,500 feet elevation under Fort Jafferau and the full moon.
2. Mineral universe in the warm light of the rising sun…
3. Another fort, Föens fortress, much lower in the mountain.
4. I love these high altitude tundra.
5. Another abandoned fort, just beside our bivouac.
6. It’s time to break camp.
7. Going down, we find other golden larches…
8. … and a much smoother trail on this side.
9. Föens fortress…
10. … of which we discover part of interior.
11. It’s already time to go home as it’s the end of holidays. Last boondocking under the Galibier Pass. Despite the negative temps, Emile plays with his small cars. 🙂
12. Last sunrays on the surrounding peaks and last image of the season for VivaLaVida.
Thank you for following our few 2021 peregrinations.
It is time for Emile and I to wish you a Happy Christmas! See you next year for new adventures!! 🙂
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… 🙂
Fall holidays (1)
As Emile is on vacation with me for a week, we decide to go enjoying the fall colors without traveling too far since we only have 5 days to travel. The destination will be the Hautes-Alpes, between France and Italy.
1. After half a day on the road, we arrive in the Mont-Cenis region and its lake at the end of the day.
2. While the weather is fine all along the road, the east wind blows fog from Italy which gradually rises, enveloping VivaLaVida.
3. Climbing up to 2,200 m, we have time to make a shot hike outside the nimbuses.
4. But half an hour later, the fog catches up with us.
5. The time to find a boondocking site for the night and we are isolated by the clouds for a quiet but cool night.
6. The disturbance of the night removed the fog and nicely sprinkled summits with fresh snow.
7. A few openings in the couds let in the light…
8. … and VLV takes the trail again to reach the lake.
9. We take the trail that goes West of the lake…
10. … trail that we couldn’t drive in July, a barrier now blocking access from July 1st to September 15.
11. The showers follow one another and the wind is still blowing strong.
12. But we anyway go for a walk by the lake, just to play with Emile and, for me, to look for some picture composition.
13. …
The continuation of the story in a few days…
Week-end in Haute Savoie
At the end of August, Emile and I are going to spend the weekend in the mountains.
1. Hike to the Col de Balme.
2. We discover a pretty altitude pond…
3. … that cottongrass highlight.
4. Highland…
5. From a ridge, we can see VLV far below…
6. On the ridge…
7. The goal of the hike.
8. Too bad the clouds hid the light…
9. Altitude marsh.
10. On the way back, the clouds set the mood…
11. Reaching VLV for the night.
12. Campfire to prepare diner.
13. A last ray sets the Bossons glacier ablaze in the distance.
14. Red needles of Chamonix in the clouds.
15. Nice viewpoint over the Chamonix valley when we wake up.
16. Picnic near Emosson.
17. Aiguille Verte and the Drus from Emosson.
Some images of other weekends coming soon… 😀
D5 Creation