Autumnal excursions and colours

A week ago I had my normal glance at the Villard-de-Lans webcam to see what I assumed to be a software glitch, as all I could see was snow. But no, the date stamp was up-to-date, and there had indeed been a big snow dump overnight. However, generally very mild weather has been the norm this Autumn, and by the evening nearly all the snow had gone. And I gather that such great variation is to be expected, so I was prepared for anything for my week's October stay - though, of course, hoping for some warmth and some cycling-friendly weather.
Well, so far,so good: daytime temperatures up to 24C in the shade, though also with dramatic Alpine storms.
I don't know if this year's weather has made the autumnal colours especially spectacular, but certainly, for my first October visit, the scenery is perhaps even more breathtaking than in the Summer.
Below are photos from today's ride up to the Col de Grimone and back via the Cirque d'Archiane (a most dramatic valley indeed). The top photo is from yesterday's ride to Gigors, and shows Alpine newbie Martin Wright coming over his second Col, the Col de la Croix, with experienced Alpinist Arved Schwendel.
The walnuts were collected from a roadside ditch by Arved and me, on the way back through Châtillon-en-Diois, and the last four photos are from an evening stroll up behind my house towards the Glandasse, dodging some very heavy showers!