To the Alpes

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From the Cinque Terre it was a complicated journey on six trains to our next destination, Digne. We followed the coastline round into France, giving fabulous views of the sea and the coastal villages. Much of it is almost as pretty as the Cinque Terre, but with fewer tourists. We dropped in on Monte Carlo, Monaco on the way, crossing three borders in a day - not that anyone wanted to see our passports. It was a bit tight, as we had lots of half-hour changes, two late trains and one cancellation. The last journey was from Nice up to Digne, on a very local train up into the Alpes where the conductor got out of the train at every stop and shouted his destinations, dropped off parcels on the station platform, and even let a passenger loose with the controls of the second carriage for much of the journey - to the delight of a group of excited teenagers. There was fabulous Alpine scenery to complement the costal scenery we'd enjoyed in Italy.

We stayed at the Hotel Campanile in Digne - functional but with really very good food, at least after Morocco. It had been a very long walk there in the evening. Heather was feeling very sorry for herself, suffering from Gavin's cold. Not everything needs to be shared! Finally, after a little more travel the next day, we arrived in Ailefroide (there's a clue in the name). Tomorrow, we'll see two glaciers up close, a first for Gavin. Glaciers don't look as Gavin was expecting, even when one can only see them from below.

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Photos

River valley on way to les Alpes
From the train to Digne

Digne Station
Different companies' attitudes to presentation