Fouillouse

30 August 2015:  After yesterday's arduous and tiring hike, we were ready for an easier, shorter hike today.  The hike from Maljasset to Fouillouse fit the bill: just 4 hours, with little change in elevation until the last hour – when the trail was very steep!  However, we hiked for most of the first three hours on a road, which was not so pleasant.  Chloé pointed out that walking on a paved road had one advantage:  We did not need to watch where we placed our feet (as we must do when hiking on a trail), so we could lift our eyes and appreciate the scenery.  Indeed!  We were walking through a beautiful valley.

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Departure from Maljasset:

La Vallée de l'Ubaye:

During a very short section of the trail that left the road, Mary was pleased to discover that we were walking next to a field of alfalfa – a familiar crop from her youth. 

This series of pictures shows the spectacular Pont du Châtelet, an arch 97 m. above the Ubaye River that was built in the 1880s.  The bridge is barely visible in the photos taken from afar, but those pictures show what an engineering tour de force is the bridge. 

Views from the bridge:

We finally hiked on a good trail approaching Fouillouse. 

The Gîte Les Granges in Fouillouse: