February 2015

Apologies for the unimaginative post title, though it "does what it says on the tin": my February half-term getaway, again with my brother. We travelled entirely by train, and though it's still a long day (my preferred choice these days is to fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle, and then train from there), everything was as easy as it could be, with no hitches, and it was both cheaper and easier than driving.

The week was spent with a combination of walking, reading, cycling, and relaxing. The weather started with cold and wet, and finished in glorious blue skies and sun (well, apart from the day of departure: back to rain). Photos below are from our arrival, walks round Vercheny, up the Meyrosse valley, Luc-en-Diois and Le Claps, and a ride to Saoû. In amongst them you'll see a photo of the 'nest' of Processionary Moth Caterpillars (apparently a threat to the pines, but amazing all the same), and a red kite near Luc.

Riding-wise, just a couple of shortish ones: a loop to Recoubeau and back via St Roman (the plan had been to go as far as Luc-en-Diois, but the weather had other plans), and the loop to Saoû, here.

Les Liotards

Lichen gone mad

From Vercheny towards the Roanne Valley

Home for the Processionary Moth Caterpillar

In the Meyrosse valley

A typical 'cloud cap' in the Meyrosse valley

A red kite near Luc-en-Diois

Building blocks near Luc-en-Diois

Geological stuff near Le Claps

Luc-en-Diois

Luc-en-Diois

Saoû

Donjon de Lastic, near Saoû

Les Trois Becs from inside the perched valley near Saoû

The head of the Meyrosse valley, taken from the Col de Romeyer

The Col de Rousset, from the Col de Romeyer

A mighty fine walk: Pic de Luc

Another walk from the François Ribard book, chosen for ease of access to the start by car, and safety of walking. I've previously posted about Le Claps (a massive 15th Century rockfall near Luc-en-Diois), and today's jaunt started with a quick photo-opportunity there, followed by a walk to the top of the mountain that supplied the rockfall. I reckoned that the odds of the lump of mountain we were walking on falling off in similar fashion was low enough to warrant getting the view from the top.

Well, in brief, a very pleasant walk through woods, and around and up the hill to the 1084m pic was rewarded with one of the most amazing panoramas I've ever seen. The views by themselves would have been enough, but there was a glistening winter scene up there straight out of a film-maker's over-the-top imagination, enough to put silly grins on all three of our faces. Apart from one slightly 'airy' bit near the top (which was perfectly safe), there was nothing at all challenging, and would be a superb way for anyone to pass four or so hours ... depending on how long you spend taking photos.

Incidentally, if you do this walk, keep your eyes peeled for the tiny sign on the right taking you off the main track onto the Pic de Luc path (see the fourth photo) - we missed it (which happily led us to the rather interesting rocks pictured), and only backtracked when we decided that the path we were on was going down when it should have been going up the mountain.