Mouthe

21 July 2015:  Many of the high points in the Vosges (e.g., Le Hohneck, Le Ballon d'Alsace, etc.) inform visitors that they can see Mont Blanc from that point.  Maybe, but atmospheric conditions have to be just right; a clear, cool and dry day in the winter is your best bet.  We did not see Mont Blanc as we hiked over the Vosges a few weeks ago. 

I certainly did not have those ideal atmospheric conditions today – it was another sunny, hot day – but I'm now a lot closer to the Alps.  So, as I hiked up to the ridge this morning from the refuge and approached Le Mont d'Or (1461 m.), the Alps filled the horizon, with Mont Blanc presiding over the great massif.  I took photos, of course, but they do not fully capture the drama of the sight. 

The hike down from the crest took me along a fairly uninteresting trail, frankly.  The most noteworthy aspects of the hike were the people I met:

• Around midday, I stopped at a restaurant beside the trail (a rare sight!) for refreshment.  At the table next to me was a Belgian family (parents and two young boys) who were also taking a break.  They were on a week-long mountain bike (VTT) trip across the Jura.  I enjoyed chatting with them and sharing experiences. 

• As I walked along a road in the afternoon, a big BMW passed me.  Moments later, I heard and then saw the car backing up toward me.  The driver stopped when he reached me and said, "Américain?".  I did not immediately recognize him, but he recognized me:  We had met and briefly chatted at the Saut du Doubs on July 15th.  Then, he was walking along the trail with his wife and two young children; today, he was in an enormous BMW with an older man (perhaps his father) in the passenger seat.  What a coincidence!  I told him that I would be sure to recognize him more quickly the next time we met...

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Hiking up to the crest from the refuge this morning. 

Does this count as a selfie?

Mont Blanc and its neighbors loom on the horizon. 

Descent from the crest:

It's rare (too rare!) to encounter a restaurant close to the trail in the middle of nowhere.  So, although I had just taken a break, I just had to stop here for another one.  The cold grapefruit juice was so refreshing in today's heat that I had two!

Back on the trail (or road) in the afternoon:

A memory from 1989:  Mary and I camped near this farmhouse.  The roof is clearly post-1989. 

I remembered this unusual turnstile from 1989:

There was some forest walking...

... and some walking across open fields. 

I'm staying tonight at a gîte d'étape called Le Chalet de la Source.  It's close to the source of the Doubs River, a couple of kilometers from Mouthe.  I enjoyed dinner on the terrace with the other guests, all of whom are walking or cycling on the trails across the Jura.