This hike winds North through the forest, down into the valley that cradles the Ruisseau du Badier (Badier Creek), then climbs steeply up to a peak elevation of 642m at Le Crèt Fourchet.
Today, we run into a surprising number of hikers at Le Grand Bola. Before this, we had only seen one other man hiking on the trail to Létra. Perhaps the fact that this was the Saturday of a long weekend makes a difference. Plus perhaps the gorgeous blue skies boasting a 23 degree Celcius sunball and not a single cloud.
North of Le Grand Bola, the trail quickly enters the forest, and we are surprised by how much it resembles many of the West Coast hikes in our home province of British Columbia, Canada, particularly those on Vancouver Island.
As the trail starts dropping steeply down into the valley, we zigzag the loose rocky path, and concentrate hard on staying on our feet. Finally, the path dumps us out rather unceremoniously at Le Ruisseau Badier, and we carefully negotiate the slippery clay banks to cross to the other side. I pause for a victorious photo at the creek, then notice Colin has already started climbing the steep ascent away from me.
The hike up towards Haut Des Razes is dizzying. I keep my head down and plow onward methodically. By the time we exit out the woods beside a seemingly abandoned farmhouse, my butt and thighs are screaming. The area is silent, save for a busy colony of bees were claiming squatter's rites in the upper story window. My body is begging for a rest. However, passing by the farmhouse door, a disturbing sight quickly urges us onward towards Le Crèt Fourchet:
Over a dozen sets of rotting hooves are nailed neatly in rows. We wonder... "What does it mean? Why did someone hang them on there like that?" Well, the answer is becoming almost automatic to us now: Because France.
Past the signpost for Le Haut des Razes, we take Le Crèt Fourchet, a tiny grassy path heading to La Bonnaire that finally yields the views we were craving.
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Looking back down the valley cradling the Ruisseau du Badier, we try not to gulp down all the water we packed, and marvel at the hike we've done today since Le Grand Bola: over the hill on the right, down into the valley, and back up again! As we pause there, congratulating ourselves and taking a well-earned rest, we hear an unexpected sound...
Leaving Le Crèt Fourchet, we wander through the tiny cluster of maybe 6 houses that is La Bonnaire. A man stares at us curiously from his living room window, probably wondering what the heck we are doing there. I wave, and keep moving up the road towards the junction of La Bonnaire and La Cantinière, hoping beyond hope that La Cantinière might be big enough to have a bar. I just want to sit down and have a cold beer, and playfully complain to Colin that there is no way I am hiking back through that valley today. Every muscle from my waist down is on fire. Maybe La Cantinière is big enough to have a hotel too? ;)
Approaching the intersection, the first thing we see is a large group of goats on the hillside to the right of Le Cantinière. As I zoom in for a photo, I notice that many of them are looking at us curiously. There REALLY must not be a lot of traffic in this area!
Despite the remote location, we see a man unloading his bike from his van at the junction, and Colin heads straight for him. Is Colin actually going to ask a total stranger whether there is a bar in this area? That would be so out of character! Maybe he is more desperate for a cold beer than I am. ;)
As we approach, Colin indeed waves and calls out "Bonjour!" It takes me another few beats to realize it is our host Alban!!! At first, I wonder whether I had unconsciously manifested a ride back to the gite, but he is taking his two boys to the Outdoor Adventure Park "Le Fil Des Arbres", about 10km away. (BTW, as I googled the park just now to add that link, I notice the park manager's name, and her photo in the feed... it's Alban's girlfriend Jennifer!! So yeah, that makes sense why he would be heading there! Plus, it looks fun.)
It is so strange to have walked all that way, over hill and dale, only then to run into the only person we know! Five minutes earlier or later, and we would have missed him.
Alban tells us the bad news that there is no bar in the area. However, all is not lost: he recommends we take the path on the right back to the gite, as it follows the mountain crest instead of heading back down into the valley. Very little elevation change in that direction, he assures us. I guess I did manifest an escape from the valley floor after all! :D
Gratefully walking back along the level paved path, I jab a playful finger towards the valley and call cheerfully: "In your face, Ruisseau du Badier!!"
You really must have a good camera. You can capture all the different shades of green, especially in the early hours of the day or in the shade of trees. The landscapes are great. I especially liked the picture of the goats. They made me think of the ancient cave drawings of wild animals. They have a dark streak along their backs, and you caught many of them looking right at us.
ReplyDeleteBetty
You might be surprised to learn I'm using a little PHD ("push here dummy") camera set to "auto"! It's the Canon SX700HS with 30x zoom. I have been extremely happy with it. The power-tp-size ratio is fantastic, which means I can carry it around in my purse or pocket all the time, "just in case," and still snap great photos. The HD videos I shared with you were also taken on it!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.ca/Canon-PowerShot-SX700-Digital-Camera/dp/B00I58M26Y