Sunday Sep. 29 - The Final Leg of the Journey

Caught our shuttle to the airport about 6:45 and after stopping at several other hotels to fill up the van (all eight of us) we arrived at CDG.  Got all checked in and through security in record time (although for some reason I got patted down - must have been the rivets on my jeans).  Grabbed some breakfast at the terminal, got on the plane and were ready to be pushed back when they discovered a low tire which had to be changed (which took an hour).

Although the flight was about 10 hours it went by pretty quickly (lots of video entertainment and a few short naps).  We said our goodbyes to Jim and Judy in Seattle (they still had to fly to Portland and then to Medford).  We then picked up our car and had to drive home in the wind and the rain.  We got home about 6PM and were glad to be home and back to our house and the dogs.

Now for the tough part - recapping the trip.  It was great to have Jim and Judy join us.  All of our lodging was clean and comfortable (we just need to remember if we are staying in town to ask if the apartment is right on a busy, noisy road).  We did some hiking that we would never have done by ourselves.  We saw some sights that were absolutely amazing.  We accomplished some personal achievements and were able to cross some items off of our bucket list.  The weather was incredible (just a few days of rain) and we met some great people and were able to see some old friends.  We faced a few challenges (usually driving related) but that is part of the adventure.  We biked 20 miles, we walked and hiked well over 100 miles and we drove over 3,000 kilometers.  We ate some great food and drank some good wine (and some Belgium beers - thanks Denis!).  To sum it all up - it was a great vacation!

Saturday Sep. 28 - Paris

We took the Metro to Luxembourg Gardens and walked around a bit.  We then walked by the apartment where we stayed in 2007, grabbed some goodies at a local shop and took the back streets to the Pantheon.  Had lunch on the steps and then headed towards the Seine for a river cruise (which is a great way to see many of the main sights along the river).  We then headed back towards the Latin Quarter and had an early dinner.

 

 

 

It is hard to believe that our time in France has drawn to an end.  Tomorrow we head home.

 

 

Friday Sep. 27 - Off to Paris

Grabbed a quick breakfast, packed the car and headed off the the Geneva airport to drop off the car.  While we had what we thought were good driving directions there were clearly some differences between the signs on the road and the signs and instructions in the printed directions.  It got a little stressful to say the least but we were able to make our way to the French side of the airport and finally get the car dropped off (for some reason not an easy task with lease cars).  Took the bus to the main Geneva train station and had plenty of time to catch our high-speed train to Paris.

 

After three hours we arrived and were able to find our hotel quite easily.  Got checked in and headed to Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter.  Had a good dinner and then headed to the Eiffel Tower for an after-dark experience.

 

 

Tomorrow we will spend more time exploring the city.

Thursday Sep. 26 - Our Last Day in Chamonix

We all decided it was time for an easy walk/hike for our last day.  The weather has turned a little gray today with some showers in the forecast.  We took the train to Argentiere, checked out the church there, grabbed some treats for lunch and found the trail back to Chamonix.  The trail went along the river and it was a pretty easy walk.  After several hours and 9 miles we were back at the B&B.

 

 

 

 

Spent a little time in the hot tub and had another great dinner prepared by the owner of the B&B.

 

 

Tonight we got packed up so we can make an early exit to Geneva tomorrow morning.

 

Wednesday Sep. 25 - What Shall We Do Today?

After another hearty breakfast at the B&B Jim and Judy headed out by train for some more walking and hiking and Steve and Charlotte took the car towards Switzerland to look for an easy walk and to kill some time before the afternoon activities.  We checked out a few of the smaller towns outside Chamonix and took a short walk through a nature preserve.

 

 

We also stopped by the area where some of the paragliders land at the end of their flight.

 

 

At 2PM we met a father and daughter who are staying at the B&B at the bottom of the main cable car here in Chamonix for the afternoon activities.  We made our way up to the middle station where we met our "pilots".  All three of us (with Charlotte there for moral support and official photographer) strapped in and headed out on our paragliding adventure.  It was an amazing experience.

 

 

 

 

Our "chef" took the night off so we had dinner in town.  Things are much slower during the week, especially since everyone is back in school.

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Sep. 24 - Time to Rest the Knees and Ankles

Because the peak summer season is over most of the lifts for the tourists are now closed.  We headed a short distance east to Prarion and took the cable car to the top of the lift.  We walked around up there for about 2.5 miles.  Towards the end of the walk we spotted a cog train.  After some research we decided to head back down the hill and drive to St. Gervais to catch the train.

 

 

Had a quick bite to eat and caught the train.  It is about an hour to reach the final destination at Nid d'Aigle at 2,380 meters (which is used as the starting point for those hoping to reach the summit of Mont Blanc at 4,810 meters).  The tramway is 100 years old this year and it travels through the forest and then hugs the cliff as it rises at a very steep angle.

 

 

When we arrived at the top there were quite a few people, including some who were coming back from reaching the summit.  We walked around a bit and caught the same train back (only two trains can run on the single track).

 

Today is my mom's 91st birthday so gave her a call to pass along birthday wishes.

 

We had another great meal prepared by the owner of the B&B (he prepares dinner for those who are interested and he is a very good cook).  And it saves the hassle of trying to find a good restaurant and then pick something from the menu.

 

That's all for now.  Until tomorrow - au revoir.

 

Monday Sep. 23 - To the Top

The weather forecast for the day looked good so most of the folks at the B&B decided to head out and take the cable car to Aiguille Du Midi (3,842 meters - 12,601 feet in elevation).  We started at the station in Chamonix which is just a short walk from the B&B (at 1,035 meters - 3,395 feet).  The first leg takes you up to Plan de L'Aiguille (at 2,317 meters).  You then catch a second cable car which rises the remainder of the distance with no towers in between.  At the highest point you are almost vertical with a sheer rock wall in front of you.  Once you reach the top the views are absolutely incredible.  Pictures cannot capture the scale, beauty and grandeur over the 360 degree views.

 

 

 

 

Yes - that is the Matterhorn past the larger mountain on the left (on the first picture).  We took a lot of pictures up there and we were getting ready for the next leg of the trip and we both started feeling the effects of the altitude (as did most everyone else we talked to later in the day).

 

We then headed back down to the first station and set off on what was supposed to be a 2 1/2 hour hike over to Montenvers and the Mer de Glace glacier.  Not sure who came up with the time estimate but it took us closer to 3 hours and the hiking was quite difficult with a lot of rocks and quite a bit of up and down hiking.  We got the 4:30 cog train in Montenvers back to Chamonix.  We were all pretty tired at the end of a long day.



 

Sunday Sep. 22 - A Hiking We Will Go

Started the day with a great breakfast at the B&B - coffee, juice, croissants, cereal, yogurt, eggs and fruit.  A great way to power up for the day.  After breakfast we headed into the village and off to the TI to get the latest info on hiking and which lifts are open.

 

 

 

Since today was the last day for the lift at Le Tour (Col de Balme) we jumped on the bus and headed east.  When we got close to the village there were a lot of cars but we had no idea what was going on - just figured it was a Sunday and lots of people out and about.

 

We started with a gondola ride and then transferred to a four chair ski lift to Les Autannes which is 2,195 meters (7,200 feet).  We then hiked up a little further where we crossed into Switzerland and were treated to some fantastic views.

 

 

And here is Charlotte with her left side in Switzerland and her right side in France.

 

 

When we got back to Le Tour (after an ice cream and a beer) Judy headed off to see what was going on.  The big thing was female cows competing head-to-head (literally) in a battle of wills.  Apparently this sport is very popular in the region based on the number of people who attended.  Judy bought a sheep bell (not a cow bell) and will use it as appropriate (it is quite loud).

 

We planned to catch the 3:40 bus but there was more than a bus load of people at the bus stop.  And based on the number of cars headed down the hill it looked like a log jam of cars.  After the bus was 15 minutes late we started walking hoping to find the bus and get on before the bus headed up the hill to Le Tours.  After a short time it was quite obvious that the bus was not going to make it through the traffic.  We found some local folks who suggested we try to catch the train in a village down the road.  So off we headed and after a mile we were able to catch the train in Argentiere.

 

We got back in time to have some wine, meet the new folks who arrived today at the B&B (a couple from Australia and a father and daughter from Liverpool) and had a great dinner prepared by the owner of the B&B.

 

Tomorrow we head out to the lift that leaves Chamonix to Aiguille du Midi.  Should be a very scenic trip and there will be some hiking involved.

 

 

Saturday Sep. 21 - Off to Chamonix

Got up early so we could get on the road no later than 10am.  Finished packing and gathering everything up around the house as well as some house cleaning.  We loaded up the car (and I do mean loaded) with barely any room to spare and headed north to Chamonix.  It took almost seven hours to get here even though a good portion of the roads were highways and toll roads.  Just a few miles from Chamonix we were greated with a spectacular view of Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountains.  Chamonix sits in a valley and the mountains rise rapidly from the valley floor.

 

We got settled into our B&B and walked into the village.  Lots of people and lots of stores for hiking, climbing and skiing (including Columbia).  We found a restaurant that had an English menu and had a decent meal.  I had moule (mussels) that were quite good, Charlotte had penne pasta with chicken (very little chicken), Judy had a chicken dish (with more chicken) and Jim had onion soup.

 

Tomorrow we will get our bearings, go to the TI (tourist info) to get info on the lifts and hikes and then figure out what to do.  I will have pictures tomorrow.

 

Until then - au revoir.

Friday Sep. 20 - A "Stand Down" Day

The majority of us decided that today would be a take it easy, take some time by the pool kinda day as we get ready to leave St. Saturnin and head north to the French Alps on Saturday.  Judy took a short hike around the village, Jim got some euros from the ATM and Steve and Charlotte did some last minute shopping.

Due to the cooler weather the pool temp has dropped a few degrees so it was quite chilly.  Steve was the only one brave enough to take the plunge.  But all of us got in a little sun bathing and there were even a few naps sprinkled in.

We once again were treated to a low altitude fly-by from the France Air Force.

For dinner Friday night we again went to L'Estrade and had a great meal  Jim and Judy had porc, Charlotte had a white fish and Steve had entrecote along with a salad with poulpe (marinated octopus).  Tears were shed as we said our good-byes to the ladies that run the restaurant.  They are a lot of fun and are willing to put up with our terrible french and help us as needed.

Got most of the packing done - will wrap it up tomorrow morning.

Thursday Sep. 19 - Montagne Sainte Victoire and Le Croix de Provence

Up early this morning to get a good breakfast and drive to our starting point for our hike.  Our GPS (and Steve) took everyone on a very "scenic" route, especially through Cadenet.  We were exploring streets that were barely wide enough for the car.  Never trust the GPS.

We arrived at our destination shortly before 10AM - the Barrage de Bimont.  The dam holds back water which feeds the Canal de Provence which provides irrigation water throughout the region.

We started up the trail (the definitive word being "up" as that was the only direction we would be going for the next three hours).  The majority of the trail (if you can call it that) was rock and in some cases quite difficult to navigate.  We had just gotten started when a French military jet came roaring up the canyon at a very low elevation and flew by the cross.  It was very cool and Judy let out a big shout.  We got about half way and seriously considered turning back but we agreed to press forward (and we are really glad we did).  Even though the hiking was difficult we were rewarded with some incredible views and an unforgettable experience.  In 7km (4.2 miles) we went up 3,100 feet (about an 8% grade) all the way to the cross.  A few hundred meters from the cross is a chapel that was originally built several hundred years ago and has been restored starting in the mid-1950's.  The remaining stretch was pretty much straight up and we were climbing over rocks to reach our final destination (the cross).  The mistral wind was howling at the top but the views and the experience of reaching our destination were incredible.  They say if you have not kissed the La Croix de Provence you have not experienced Provence.  We can now say we have experienced Provence.

The walk back down was much easier than we expected because of all of the rocks.  It was nice to get back to the house (after a stop to buy something for dinner) and let the legs rest.  The ankles, calves and knees got a real workout today.

There are people much younger than us who basically run up to the cross and back.  Their age is their advantage but I can't imagine what they are doing to their joints - they will pay for it one of these days.

Charlotte figured out the total age of the four of us is 266 years for an average age of  66.5.  We are all pretty proud of our accomplishment today.

Tomorrow we shift gears and start thinking about our next destination - Chamonix and the French Alps.  The weather forecast looks good so far so we are hoping for another good week.  We head there on Saturday.

Until next time - au revoir.

Wednesday Sep. 18 - Bonnieux to Lacoste

Today was a slightly slower pace than some previous days.  Today we met Kevin and two other couples from his B&B in Bonnieux for a hike to a local village called Lacoste.  Before we arrived we visited the Bonnieux wine cave and stocked up on a red we had the other night for dinner and some more rose for next week.

 

Bonnieux is a lovely small village where we stayed two years ago and we attempted to do this hike but never found the right path.

 

 

Just a short way into the hike one of the gals from Kevin's B&B twisted her ankle.  Nurse Judy immediately jumped into action.  Unfortunately no one had an elastic (Ace) bandage (go figure) but the gal had a head scarf.  So off the scarf came and it was skillfully wrapped around her ankle to keep the swelling down.  Always good to have a nurse along.  So her husband had to walk back to get the car and pick her up.  We learned today that she was doing better but they decided to cut their vacation a few days short and headed back to Germany.  On the walk you get great views of both of the villages as you walk in the valley between the two in the orchards and vineyards.

 

A large portion of the village of Lacoste has been purchased by Pierre Cardin and an art school (which the locals are not really happy about).  In spite of that it is a very nice village which includes some very quaint streets and a chateau at the top of the village that was once owned by the Marquis de Sade.

 

 

We had a great day and got back just in time for a quick dip in the pool (just for Steve - the water has gotten quite cool since the weather has been cooler).

 

Tomorrow we plan to tackle Sainte Victoire which is about 90 minutes from here.  We saw the mountain and the cross the last time we were here and have added it to our bucket list.

 

 

Tuesday Sep. 17 - Market & Mountains!

'Up & at 'em' bright and early this morning!  After our usual awesome breakfast, we were loaded into the car and off to Vaison-la Romaine for the Tuesday market...we thought.  As it turned out 'Mabeline' (our gps) decided to take us on a long voyage through Gorges de la Nesque. It was quite beautiful, curvy and full of thrills as we met other drivers taking up way too much of the road.  We did finally get to the market that was full of people and with lots of things to buy.  Managed to find a few things.

 

 

And, Steve was able to have the paella he has been dreaming about for 2 years.  I must say, it was pretty yummy.

 

We had arranged to meet Kevin for a hike into the Dentelles de Montmirail.  The trail started up by going practically straight up the mountains with a very strong Minstrel wind howling.  To say the least...it was 'challenging'!  But the views were AMAZING!

 

 

 

We ended up quite a ways from our car and finally landed back at the parking lot with a total a little over 7 miles.  We were surprised since it felt like we had done at least 15 miles.  We're so grateful that Kevin has been able to take us to these amazing trails. 

 

 

High points today: Jim and Judy meeting 'Bill' when we stopped to take pictures while driving through the Gorge.  Bill was from Sacramento, has lived in the middle of no where in the Gorge for 13 years, and in France for 30, and didn't want Judy taking his picture.  Hmmm

 

Watching rock climbers right above us and hearing them talking to each other.  Judy talked to a young rock climber who had climbed in Joshua Tree where they volunteer.

 

So after a good dinner we're off to bed to recharge for tomorrow's adventure.

 

 

Talk to you tomorrow...Charlotte