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Published: August 18th 2005
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The Vercors Hike
from left: Maryse, Gerard et moi, with Dad hiding behind Gerard. The account Mom wrote in her journal of today’s hike was so good I’m going to copy it down here with her permission and only slight editing.
“This was the day to see the Vercors. Standard breakfast, then by 10:30 we were packed in the car and only stopped by the big grocery store for some picnic stuff. After scenic drives to Combe Laval and the Grand Goulet we stopped for a picnic at a biathalon training area. There was cheese, sausage, bread and wine for lunch with a melon at the end. Wonderful dark chocolate was melting in the sun. After a leisurely Gerard read the paper while the rest of us had a small rest on an old quilt in the shade. Eventually Gerard & Maryse suggested a coffee might be good, so on to a café at the Col du Rousset ski area for tiny cups of espresso and watching the kids with big tired scooters. They took them up a chair life and came down a cat track. I bought some post cards. Eventually it was mentioned that we start the hike. By now it was 3 o’clock. We drove on past the ski area
Switchbacks
Coming down from the Col du Rousset into the Vallee du Diois. There must be a trail going straight down that only shepherds know. and through a tunnel. There was a small parking on the right and a big sign describing the technique for climbing the Via Ferrata. The sign showed the route up a big rock face. We walked on a wide gravelly path on up past the group of kids top-roping with a few adults. Then up around and into the trees - at the meadows we turned right off the path and hiked up to a view point - about a half hour walk. The view was the switch backs down, down into the valley of the Diois. Gerard told the story of the shepherd who was trying to hitch hike down from the old tunnel. A car passed and the occupants made rude gestures so the shepherd, who, knowing the territory quite well, ran down the paths so he beat the car to every switch back and returned the rude gestures. On the way home, another route, we went through Die and stopped at the cave to taste and buy wines. [I ran into the brother of one of the AFS exchange students who I had known in 1999/2000. His
La Vallee du Diois
Looking south towards Die (pronounced Dee). name is Boris and he works at the winery and was Carlos Estrella’s host brother] Of course after the wine we stopped for a drink at Crest, a town with a big tower We dropped Heather off at Cornas to see Luc before he went south to his grandfather’s funeral. We weren’t home until 8:30 and Maryse cooked quenelles, little dumplings baked in tomato sauce. We had the lettuce Gerard had bought just as the store was closing, the last left over of the salade mélange and of course wine & cheese. I was so exhausted I was barely functional.
It’s interesting for me to read Mom’s journal and see another perspective on our trip. I’m glad she’s willing to share it with me. I’m not so willing to share my journals. Sharing the blog is enough. She commented to me several times that she had never had such a relaxing day hiking, and still been bone-tired by the end of it. I think that might
Die (remember, it's said Dee)
I have a photo of myself with Gerard & Maryse's son taken in exactly the same place about six years ago. Jill, Stan, Maryse & Gerard in front of the Cave de Die, with the Vercors in the background. sum up France for her. She told me that we never seemed to do anything fast, that she felt like she was moving in molasses the whole time, and it was very relaxing - yet exhausting.
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Cherry
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Beauty
These pictures are BEAUTIFUL!!!