Grenoble and Ardèche

DSCN7519 Our very small rental car- Peugeot 107 DSCN7518 Studying at the Auberge de la Croix Perrin in le Vercors DSCN7517 An tile table outside DSCN7521 The landscape of the Vercors
DSCN7523 Town of Lans en Vercors DSCN7524 with its own little ski area DSCN7525 The vegetation reminded my of Freel Peak DSCN7526 This was of only minor interest to some people who luckily had other options
DSCN7527 Road down from the ski area to the town DSCN7528 Lounge area in the Auberge DSCN7530 Coffee the next morning in the café in town DSCN7531 Catching up on the local news, which was remarkably similar to the local news in Vaud!
DSCN7532 Lots of limestone cliffs in the Vercors DSCN7533 But it is not high so the meadows are thick DSCN7534 Not the high Alps but not the Rhone Valley either DSCN7535 Leaving the plateau
DSCN7536 Cliffs and.. DSCN7537 more limestone cliffs, the remnants of the ancient Tethys Sea DSCN7538 Suddenly, we were above the Ardèche River DSCN7539 We checked into a hotel, got a coffee and prepared for our first afternoon on the river
DSCN7541 Plastics kayaks stacked up for us tourists DSCN7543 A quick review of the equipment DSC05507 The Australian couple on the left were a bit unclear on the concept DSC05508 On the river!!
DSC05510 I wasprepared for hard work DSC05511 but for a while there didn't seem too much to do DSC05514 There were long stretches of flat water but with a good current DSC05515 Numerous springs emptied directly into the river from the limestone
DSC05518 There were people with more serious gear than us on the river DSC05517 who seemed to be doing things differently... DSC05519 than we would do! DSC05520 The road cuts through some tunnels
DSC05522 And this wasn't yet the weekend, nor was it high season? DSC05524 There were some rapids that were easy to descend DSC05526 And we passed beneath the Pont d'Arc DSC05527 Trees on the far side of the Pont d'Arc
DSC05528 All kinds of craft, even an inflatable kayek DSC05529 Pont d'Arc DSC05533 Pont d'Arc DSC05534 Long back upstream
DSC05536 Another big spring gushing out of the cliff DSCN7544 We pulled out of the river, walked to our hotel, then took the car out for a spin through the countryside before dinner: looking west from above the gorge DSCN7545 Beached kayaks DSCN7546 The river bed incised in the limestone
DSCN7547 Downstream DSCN7548 Iron in the limestone on top of the plateau DSC05538 Lavender fields DSC05539 at the Musée de Lavande that Christine wanted to visit
DSCN7549 and I am glad that we were able to accommodate her DSCN7550 They had quite a vegetable garden too! DSCN7554 Arugula and lettuce DSCN7551 Lavender
DSCN7552 More lavender DSCN7553 Lavande à jamais finir DSCN7555 They are willing to sell you something with lavender in it DSCN7556 like soap
DSCN7557 or little sachets DSCN7561 or these other sachets DSCN7558 or things with drawings of lavender DSCN7559 There is some history of lavender culture in this region
DSCN7562 It is kind of rural DSCN7565 We drove to an overlook about 20 kms north DSCN7566 Hilltop DSCN7567 Mont Ventoux- you know that you are in the south!
DSCN7568 Wind turbines far out across the Rhone DSC05540 The next morning we started our longer section - 24 kms DSC05541 I got serious and wore gloves (but forgot sunscreen) DSC05546 There is much that you can't do in the Gorges de l'Ardèche
DSC05547 Early in the morning as we start on longer descent of the river DSC05548 We are among the first on the water DSC05549 Nice stretches of calm water DSC05553 The cliffs were fun to explore
DSC05555 White limestone and red paddles DSC05556 The light changed throughout the day DSC05557 Eroded limestone DSC05558 One of the many springs draining into the river
DSC05562 More boats behind us DSC05563 The paper map was okay but not very water proof DSC05564 Our craft DSC05565 Christine drying out after a close encounter with a standing wave
DSC05566 Luckily we had all our gear and food in this water proof barrel DSC05568 Snacking out of the barrel on the sand bar DSC05569 We pulled out here for a while DSC05572 The sun came out and warmed us up
DSC05573 Many other people thought that this was a good spot too DSC05574 There was a constant parade of kayaks DSC05575 Some kids decided to forego a kayak for the rapids DSC05576 Just what you expect in southern France
DSC05577 Father and son? DSC05578 Christine relaxing DSC05580 Kindles go everywhere! DSC05583 Continuing downstream
DSC05584 This isn't it, but we passed a nudist colony on the way DSC05586 High cliffs as we approach the end of the gorge DSC05588 A lot of people at the take-out point DSC05590 Canoes
DSC05591 Stackable kayaks DSC05592 Someone's residence at the end of the gorge DSC05593 Tea stand in our B&B DSC05594 B&B in the hills above Privas
DSCN7571 View from the terrace DSCN7573 I am screaming in pain as the dog rubs against my sunburned shins! DSCN7574 Awaiting breakfast DSCN7576 Tilleul tree in front of the B&B
DSCN7577 A little Early American in the bedroom DSCN7578 Breakfast DSCN7580 The Chateau de Crau just down the road, currently used a barn DSCN7581 Flowers on the hillside
DSCN7582 Flowers DSCN7584 Up close DSCN7588 We liked this flower DSCN7590 Ferns may the plant that distinguises central from southern France
DSCN7593 Rocks, flowers, grass DSCN7594 Preparing lunch in ST-Christophe de Guiers on the west side of the Chartreuse Plateau DSCN7596 A little red wine with that? DSCN7597 Pastoral
DSCN7598 Apple, bleu de brébis and some charcuterie de l'Ardèche DSCN7599 Life is tasty, even in the trunk! DSCN7600 Back in Montreux, dinner on the balcony with B&N DSCN7602 Indian food which Christine is doing quite well now!
DSCN7603 Still using Revereware!