la Maye

Ian and I climbed De Maye en Endroit. We got a little off route, but had a good time, and blitzed it in just over 4 hours. The crux 6b is a very entertaining overhanging pitch. The slabs higher up are also good, but the rock really seems to improve with elevation. As a result, it might be better to stick to the climbs on the left.

Every climbers dream: a soaking wet granite slab!

Looking down the first slab

After the crux 6b pitch

Us climbing! Taken by CZ

A closeup. This is pitch 3

Further up, with la Berarde in the background






We were back by lunchtime, and after crepes, we brought Zoe to the river to throw rocks and build dams. The raspberries along the river were unfortunately not yet ripe. Chloe and I also scoped out the trail head to the more direct path to the cliff. Finally, it was time to gather wild blueberries for Zoe.

We were also rewarded with beautiful light on the mountains

La Berarde

We took a trip to the very small mountain town of La Berarde this afternoon, for two nights at the CAF refuge


(four adults and two babies in a teeny room -- wheee!)

wandering around the town and environs:




Ian rode up from Grenoble and met us there: A serious ride! Dinner was simple but excellent, and perfect fuel for tomorrows excursion.

A trip to St. Antoine l'Abbeye

There is a particularly interesting and well done mini-museum on perfumes and scents. There are even little atomizers built into the displays. Myrrh turns out to be particularly strong, and was all I could smell for about twenty minutes after sniffing it.

A perfume still:

izoard video

added here

Tomato

Behold the majesty of a tomato plant that have not been watered for two weeks

Stephanie here!

Videos added

To the Galibier road bike and mountain bike posts
road : http://moneycrushing.blogspot.com/2010/07/galibier.html
Mountain bike : http://moneycrushing.blogspot.com/2010/07/mountain-bike-down-from-galibier.html

A panorama

of the view from the front lawn of the Chalet

Col de Granon

I rode the col de Granon today while Chloe was climbing at Roche Maubert with Vero. It was a hell of a slog. Something like 8% minimum grade, 9.5% average for 12km. I think it was the most difficult of the high cols. When I was almost at the top, a car drove by and a window rolled down, followed by cheers of "Allez, Allez!"; France is so awesome for cycling!

Later on, we packed up, got some more crepes at chez Finette, loaded up the car, and drove back to Grenoble. Along the way, we were treated to some beautiful light in the mountains
Aiguillete de Lauzet

Roche Robert, contreforts

Agneaux?

Some guys flying an RC glider near Lautaret


Lauzet

Lautaret

Raining

so we went shopping in Briançon (alpimat) to buy a reverso for Chloe and some guidebooks. We also made a brief foray onto the dog excrement and trash strewn slopes of the fortress. I discovered that someone has bolted the slabs under the citadel walls:



which would have probably upset Vauban.

Later on, I took Zoe for a father-daughter crepe session in Casset, followed by a very cold dip in the nearby lake


Unfortunately, as far as I could tell, The Town of Art and History does not seem to have a real art museum!

GEAR

Climbing!

Today we split into two teams and climbed side by side routes on the Eperon de Chemin du Roy. François and I climbed "A la Recherche de Peter Pan", and Chloe, Barbara and Marcel climbed "Hélène et les garçons". Peter Pan is another short, but fantastic climb. It is on absolutely incredible yellow limestone with some steep moves and a slightly scary crux pitch at the end of a big dihedral. I was satisfied to do the super long and beautiful P4 on sight.
pitch 1

looking west on pitch 2

looking east on pitch 2

end of pitch 2

ptch 2 from Helene

crux pitch, crux moves

6c pitch




after the 6c

François on the final pitch


Chloe topping out on 'Helene', Barbara belaying

Hanging out at the summit

François at the rap station


Afterwards, it was a quick trip to Casset to the excellent creperie for Crepe Normands and Crepe Abeilles. Woo!