Chapter #16

Two very perfect autumnal days

in my favourite city of Briancon.

Don't think I've ever seen

such blue skies,

without a single cloud

and not a breeze.

Couldn't ask for better conditions

for heading for the hills:)

While Jake went riding,

I went walking!
(warning: quite a few photos in this one:)

For my first walk I chose to revisit

one of the most beautiful lakes I'd seen...

Lac de l'Orceyrette.

Along the way I got a little side-tracked

literally!

I spotted a track leading up the hillside

and thought it was worth exploring.

Found myself on a plateau

high above the valley.

The perfect place for my picnic lunch

and relaxing for a while,

thinking about nothing and everything:)

Heading down to the lake brought me in

from the opposite end to my previous visit

and it was just as magical as 

the first time :)

On the road back to camp I passed through

the very small but very beautiful

village of Les Ayes.

Is this not the cutest little row

of houses:)

Further down the road

I passed by the tiny church

that I had photographed on our 

first visit to Briancon

back in June.

In that photo the field in front

was covered in wildflowers.

This time autumn was on show ..

brambles covered in rosehips:)

So on the second day I chose a hill

straight up behind the camp.

On the very top of the hill

I could see that there was a building,

possibly a church,

hard to tell as it was so far away

but I decided I would go find out.

Phew!!!

The hill took some climbing

but as always,

spectacular views:)

 ...and yes,

it was a little church:)

...this is looking down

on Briancon...

...and these spectacular mountains

are what you see when

you turn around

and look the other way:)

...another gorgeous wee village

the road meanders through

coming down the other side...

...there is always time

to stop and take pictures

of flowers:)

...have never seen so many wild plum trees

as there were up this valley.

I did taste to see if ready

but by golly they were tart!!!

Would have been nice to have been able to

munch on them as I walked :)

...rosehips of all shapes and sizes

and every shade of orange and red...

...at times the tracks take you literally

through the back yards of houses.

It feels a little odd at times,

but most times you don't actually realise

that you are in their back yard

until the tracks just pops out there!

...this just took my fancy,

obviously onion harvest time :)

 ...everyone seems to have a vegetable garden,

and often in the most unlikely of places,

over the road and down the side of a bank

in many instances.

Allotments are also commonplace,

have seen so many ranging from ones

with just a few garden plots

to others that have upwards of 50.

They look like so much fun,

going along and working amongst the plants

while at the same time

socialising with others doing the same.

Made the most of my time in Briancon

as this would be the last visit.

We've stayed here six times

since our adventure begun

and every time it has been amazing,

and every time I've found new places

to explore.

Watching it change with the seasons

has been fascinating,

and I can only begin to imagine

how beautiful it must look

coated in snow in winter.

Maybe I will have to come back

and find out first hand:)

So from here we had a journey south

to Andorra again

for the next race.

A couple of one night stopovers

were planned to see a little more

of this beautiful country,

and they did not fail to impress.

See you in Provence:)

Jenny

xx