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Walk 7

Refuge du Plan du Lac -> les Arcelles -> la Femma -> la Turra de Termignon -> Pre Chamois -> le Belvedere -> Termignon 12km, 120m ascent

We caught the Navette once more and this time the driver was somewhat more relaxed and we were getting off earlier on the route, at the Refuge du Plan du Lac. We walked back south and I took some pictures from the lac. Frustratingly what had been a calm lake with fabulous reflections when we drove by earlier in the week was now being unsettled by a wind that had arrived earlier than on previous days.

We continued round to les Arcelles where we came across a little wooden chalet surrounded by chickens. A sign indicated that we could buy cheese here and so we walked down towards the ramshackled front porch. An aged farmer hobbled out and we indicated that we'd like to buy some cheese. He asked us to wait and brought out a bucket of whey and bread that he poured into a trough for the chickens then asked us to follow him. We walked down into a dark barn, attached to the chalet. We walked through the animals quarters and into a cool room of wooden shelves on which were arrayed proper Tome cheeses. Tome with a single m indicates the real thing, made in the mountains, not the stuff we and most of France gets which is generally made elsewhere and is spelt with Tomme. He picked a cheese and we took it up stairs to his living/working room. In the corner was a large iron cauldron with milk being heated by an open fire. He explained that he makes one cheese at a time. He weighed the cheese and we handed over 17 Euros and set off past the brown cows who had provided the milk for our delightful cheese. When we tasted it later it tasted like nothing less than a very good Wensleydale from the Hawes Creamery, which probably isn't surprising since they're both from limestone country and meadows of good grass and flowers, but it was interesting that the commercial Tommes we had tasted had a completely different taste and texture.

We continued round on a contouring route until we reached the sharp ridge of Turra de Termignon which can be climbed to reach the peak of Pointe du Grand Vallon but we continued round and began to descend through sparse pine forests that reminded us of Crete. At least we reached the little hump of le Belvedere where we found the remains of stone buildings and gun emplacements from the Second World War. Apparently the mountains had been free of forestation at the time and this was a major line of defense against Italy which was just across the valley.

A short descent and we returned to Termignon.

Walk 8

Lac du Mont Cenis -> Fort de Variselle -> Lac du Mont Cenis
Pont de la Neige -> Glacier de la Jave -> Cols des Fours -> le Grand Fond -> Pont de la Neige 6km, 419m ascent

We drove over to Lac du Mont Cenis and climbed up to the Fort de Variselle, an Italian frontier fort built in 1880 and which saw action right up to The Second World War. The fort was interesting to explore and it's amazing how safety standards differ between France and Britain! We'd walk into pitch dark rooms and find open wells in the middle of the floor or walk up onto crumbling verandas with no sign of a railing.

We left the fort and drove up the impressive Col de l'Iseran where we stopped at Pont de la Neige where, sure enough, we found snow! The bridge is at 2528m and we planned to climb up onto the Glacier de la Jave and onto the peak of le Grand Fond at 2947m, our highest point of the holiday. The walk up was very interesting as we climbed over moraines and up into the glacial basin. The glacier has receded significantly leaving a small glacial lake and pockets of deep snow. We trudged across these and up to the Cols des Fours where a strong wind whipped fine dust about us. I struggled to take some pictures and Katie and Liz ran up to the summit and back.

The descent was fun with a few chances to slide down the snow sections.

Walk 9

Termignon -> Pont du Chatelard -> l'Esseillon -> le Mont -> la Juliette -> Sentier Balcon -> la Loza -> Sardieres -> Termignon 21km, 1200m ascent

We walked up the valley to Pont du Chatelard and then climbed the steep zig-zagging path up to le Mont passed disused concrete and machinery at l'Esseillon. At le Mont we joined the Sentier Balcon and retraced our steps from an earlier walk to the beautiful natural bridge at la Juliette. On the way we came across a group of marmots who seemed amazingly unintimidated by us to the extent that Katie was almost able to reach out and touch a large adult before it slipped away beneath a rock. Behind us a whistle came up and we turned to see a mother with a very small young marmot. The young one was whistling its heart out whilst mum looked on with some pride.

The Ruisseau du Grand Pyx was still in full flow and the more overcast weather allowed me to take some images of the water carved channel. From la Juliette we climbed up towards la Loza. This section was quite spectacular as we crossed enormous scree slopes beneath la Dent Parachee. Clouds swam around the dents providing a brooding air. We managed to get lost on the descent but eventually found our way to Sardiere where we turned for home.

Walk 10

le Coetet -> le Lac Blanc -> Bellecombe -> la Chaviere -> le Coetet

We enjoyed a wonderful morning in the adventure park in the Foret du Suffet. This involved clambering across Nepalese wire bridges, tarzan swings, death slides and many other high level challenges strung out between the trees of the forest, sometimes as much as thirty feet off the ground. Fortunately full climbing harnesses were provided and everyone was taught to maintain at least one point of protection.

In the afternoon we drove up to the carpark at le Coetet then walked up to le Lac Blanc once more and stopped at the refuge for refreshments. From there we continued up and round to Bellecombe and down through the meadows and chalets at la Chaviere. The meadows were mainly mown now and lacked the sparkle that we'd enjoyed nearly two weeks earlier.