Climbing again

We warmed up in the figues au cul sector. On the way there we passed a Caterpillar with an implement that I named "the thrashing machine": basically an industrial sized weed whacker with steel whips housed in a barrel around two feet in diameter amd four feet long. The operator would just move it towards the brush on the side of the road and it would eat everything in its path with an alarming clamor. Figues au cul was a kilometer away from where we had seen the thrasher initially, and somehow I hadn't really thought that it was going to continue along the road. It was with considerable nervousness therefore that I watched it thrash its way to within a few feet of our car. As the thrasher lurched towards the Ford, I had visions of shattered windows, sideview mirrors sent shooting off into the road, and exploding tires. Thankfully, it did not demolish our car, but continued on down the road.


The thrashing appendage is at the end of the yellow arm. You can see one of the tail lights of our Ford Focus at the lower right hand edge of the image.

From Figues au Cul, we headed to what turned out to be one of my favorite areas: l'amphi. We walked through the Tennesee sector to get there

Its a rock balcony shaded by trees with a perfectly flat belaying area. It is accessible through a short via ferrata and looks out into the gorge

We did "salut les copines", 6b,



then I got my ass handed to me on "Le veuve noire", 7b, and I finished up by onsighting GR15, 6c+.
Heres a french dude casually strolling up it


and Chloe, back at the Tennesee sector

and me, tired

It was already 14:00 and we hadn't eaten lunch, so we stopped at la Malene for sandwiches. I scraped a fist sized ball of butter out of my sandwich (this is my biggest problem with French sandwiches -- WAY too much butter and mayo).
Heres CZ post-limonade and sandwich


After rinsing off, we joined my parents for some watercolors









and then took the requisite group shot in front of the castle

Chloe and I were staying in the room at the very left on the second floor before Gail kicked us out, and then in the room at the top middle (with the windows open).

Chloe and I took a walk up the Tarn before dinner



Dinner was just as good as last night, but a bit heavier. It started with scallops, followed by lamb with an emulsion of zucchini (very much like the previous night) and a cream topped fruits rouge dessert. I also had a generous cheese plate with wonderful roquefort (pronounched roak-a-fore by the locals)... and les Paradines again!