I've recently returned from a
three-week stay in Verchaix, from 10 February to 1 March 2016. Mary was
in Mirmande (Drôme) during the first week, participating in a massage stage.
She joined me in Verchaix for the second week and then returned to
Saint-Germain-en-Laye (where she was hired for a new job as an aide-soignante
at Notre-Dame du Lac!). The weather was mostly good for winter sports,
especially during the first half of this period, so we got out for some
excellent snowshoe outings. During rainy days (and as the snow melted at
lower elevations toward the end of my stay), I worked on my current writing
project: a series of short articles about our hike last year on the GR5.
Here are some photos:
11 February 2016: With fresh snow on the ground and sunny weather above, I set off for La Bourgeoise, our favorite snowshoe destination in such conditions.
12 February: Fresh snow today!
15 February 2016: After Mary's arrival, we hiked up the trail from Salvagny to the Cascade du Rouget and beyond. There wasn't much snow at the beginning, but after the Cascade, the snow was abundant -- and more fell as we returned.
After a good day of snowshoeing, we enjoyed a traditional, hearty raclette dinner:
16 February 2016: It's a sunny day -- let's go to La Bourgeoise!
17 February 2016: Le Criou looms picturesquely over Samoëns and always invites a photo.
Mont Buet (3096 m.) is pretty impressive, too!
18 February 2016: Over the years, Mary has heard a lot about the Marvel ski trail at Morillon and the mountain restaurant beside that trail, the Igloo. These were favorites when I skied with William and Chloé. In recent years, I have enjoyed snowshoeing up and down the Marvel. So today, I introduced the Marvel and the Igloo to Mary.
19 February 2016: Another favorite area for snowshoeing is the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval. Since the Fer-à-Cheval is not very high (ca. 1000 m.), a good snowshoe outing depends upon there being adequate snow in the valley. We had that today, albeit without much sunshine.
21 February 2016: The sun was shining on Mary's last day in Verchaix, so we returned to La Bourgeoise.
22 February 2016: I tried a new trail today: a loop that passes above Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval. The mild weather had left very little snow on the trail; I carried my snowshoes on my back the whole way. So it was an easy walk on a warm, sunny day.
24 February 2016: Interesting tracks observed during a walk in the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval:
26 February 2016:
Return to the Marvel, with a new variant: the "Marveline".
27 February 2016: One
more visit to La Bourgeoise:
28 February 2016: I returned
to Les Allemands, but a lot of the snow had melted; I walked most of the way.
