Day 17 Ceillac to Fouillouze

The perfect day, the day you only dream about, walking across landscapes that Doc Searls gets to photo out of aeroplane windows. Incredible weather blue skys low 20's doesnt get any better than this.

Great 3500ft climb first through forests then around the vivid turquoise Lac Sainte-Anne in blissful silence (even the Marmots were quite today) followed by a zig zag ascent to Col Giradin (where my pet hornet - who buzzes me whenever I stop proceeded to buzz me). The way down was total scary, I'm really going to miss these adrelanin rushes, back in Cambridge, ( no nanny state here - you live or die by each footfall) on virtually vetical descents on soft shale.

Eventually through the village of La Barge ( a real old original dilapidated french hamlet in the Ubaye valley) then over the Pont du Chatelet - google it - the most amazing bridge with a 107 metre vertical dropinto the gorge and only 2 foot high side walls with nice gaps at each end for the kids to disappear through!

The gite in Fouillouze www.gitelesgranges.com is an interesting old building, beautifully restored and adorned with potted plants. Looking forward to dinner as the dining room has a vaulted ceiling. It took ages to get the guardian to understand my pronuciation of vegetarian :-(.

Whilst walking now I can smell the gorgeous scents from all the wild herbs etc also the bushes are more prickly.

Will be on the final FFRP guide tomorrow and the GPS is showing only 70 or so miles left..

Flight booked for next Thursday from Niceat 10am (thanks Nick) so I can be at Ems first sixth form parents evening. Will try and arrange an evening out in Cambridge on Friday at The Pig.
Cheers

Sent from Geoff's Treo650