- Puy Saint Vincent
The view from our apartment. Just before driving back home. - Pic de Peyre Eyraute (2903 m)
- Lac de Pré Rouge
A lovely walk up the lake. And lovely benches to take a break :-) - Snow angel
This is me. - Above Tournoux
- Puy Saint Vincent
View towards Station 1600. And towards Mont Pelvoux (3943 m), Pic de Clouzis (3465 m), and Cime de la Condamine (2940 m). - Puy Saint Vincent
Station 1800. This is where we stayed. - Pic de Peyre Eyraute (2903 m)
- Pid ce Bonvoisin (3480 m)
Pic de Malamort (3335 m) on the left, Pic Jocelme (3458 m) on the right, and L'Onde river in the front. - And a frog!
A super-cute frog. These animals are apparently illuminated at night. - Pont Sans nom
A nameless bridge over L'Onde in Vallouise. - Gyr
View from Gyr valley (Pelvoux) towards Puy Saint Vincent. - Gyr
From Vallouise to Pelvoux - Rowan in snow
- Belvédère du Fournel
More snow than last year, but still not a lot. - Col de la Pousterle
Next to the hiking path is the cross-country skiing trail. - Col de la Pousterle
- Tête d’Amont (2814 m)
What a lovely day for a walk. - Col de la Pousterle
Not many people walked the path that morning. - Col de la Pousterle
Even the hiking paths are well prepared. - Tournoux
What an idyllic place, so far from everything. - Rowan in snow
Are there too many photos of rowan? Probably, but I love them so I don't care. - Rowan in snow
Looking up a rowan tree. - Rowan in snow
Oddly enough, a few days later, the snow fell down, and also all the rowan fruit. But only from these two trees. Microclimate? Or maybe birds? - Rowan in snow
- Rowan in snow
- Rowan in snow
Yes, I took a lot of photos. - Tête d’Amont (2814 m)
Freshly fallen snow and clouds on Tête d’Amont. - Snow!
A lot of fresh powdery snow! So beautiful... - Red!
Rowan and larches in the background. - Mushing
My kids are in there, in the sleigh. And they are enjoying it. A lot! - Mushing
These super-adorable dogs waiting for the start. - Tête d’Amont (2814 m)
Dark clouds gathering over Massif de Montbrison, including Pic de Montbrisson (2818 m). - Tender clouds
Fairy clouds above La Blanche (2954 m) and La Rouya (2751 m) - Tender clouds
More playful clouds over La Blanche (2954 m) and La Rouya (2751 m) - Madame Carle
Statue of Madame Carle by Christian Burger (2017). Plenty of legends about the Madame Carle, but basically she lived here in the early 16th century as the wife of Geoffroy Carle, Président du parlement du Dauphiné. Now Pré de Madame Carle up the valley is a very touristic spot. Next time. - Edward Whymper mural
A graffiti of Edward Whymper, FRSE (1840-1911). When climbing Mont Pelvoux (3946 m), he realised that there was a taller mountain nearby: Barre des Écrins (4102 m). He was the first to climb the Barre des Écrins (4102 m). Also, the first who climbed Matterhorn :-) And - the one who invented the A shaped tents :-D - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
Church of Saint Etienne, a 15th century church. Fresco of Saint Etienne partially covers the painting of Saint Christophe (of whom only legs are visible). - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
The bell tower with an octagonal spire - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
What a lovely pretty ceiling. - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
The main nave of the church. First row of pillars is rectangular, the rest is cylindrical. Someone changed their mind during the construction! A baptismal font from 1518. - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
Pietà in the Altar of the souls in purgatory (16th century). Apparently there are: Pentecost, God the Father, Saint Paul, Saint Anthony, Saint Sebastian, Saint John and Saint John the Baptist... - French pattiserie
I wish we could have taken more... - Winter in Vallouise
We found a valley where the sun doesn't shine... And there was still proper winter. L'Onde valley. - Vallouise
What a lovely name for a bridge: Pont Sans Nom ;-) There may be more to it, though, as there is also a Pic Sans Nom nearby. - Winter in Vallouise
- Vallouise
Pont des Fontaines over L'Onde - Petite Onde
- Ice
Fluffy ice crystals - Black and white
The Onde valley where the sun doesn't shine - winter 10 meters higher - spring - Before sunrise
Yes, this was the view from our apartment before sunrise. La Cucumelle (2689 m). - Still life
Another still life, this one is in front of the Restaurant d'altitude L'Etoile des Neiges. Where we had lunch ;-) - Planes!
I don't know what was going on but we're just not used to seeing so many planes in the sky anymore! Love the difference in the colours of the contrails. Great for conspiracies ;-) - Snow track
Somebody or something descended to the artificial lake - Ice on the artificial lake
There really wasn't much snow/water. The artificial lake was almost empty. - View towards SE
View from the artificial lake (left to right): Tête du Puy (2528 m), Crête de l'Aste (2620 m), way back Le Peouvou (3222 m), Crête des Pareis (2622 m), way back Pics de la Font Sancte (3371 m), Aiguille de Chambeyron (3396 m) and Brec de Chambeyron (3376 m), Pointe Jean Rostand (3220 m) ... Very little snow indeed. I should acknowledge the source: PeakVisor.com - Snow
- Dog sleigh!
Oooh, next time I'm trying this as well! Mushing add!ct. - Lunch!
Plat du jour at the Restaurant d'altitude L'Etoile des Neiges. Potatoes with vegetables and (plenty of goat cheese). - Vallouise
Wonderful cross-country skiing trails! - Pont des Fontaines
One of the many bridges across L'Onde. Pont des Fontaines. - Puy Saint Vincent 1800
Station 1800 with Mont Pelvoux (3743 m) and Pic de Clouzis (3453 m) - Col de la Pousterle
View from Col de la Pousterle over Vallouise towards Pic de Clouzis (3453 m). A lovely walk or an intense cross-country track. - Mont Pelvoux
View from Col de la Pousterle: Pic Sans Nom (3913) on the left, Mont Pelvoux (3943 m) with the glacier, and Petit Pelvoux (3739 m) in the front - Col de la Pousterle
A wonderful harmony of hiking, snowshoe walking, cross-country skiing and ski touring. They live happily ever after :-) - These feet were made for walkin'
There wasn't much snow so walking with crampons was much safer and comfortable. - Bliss :-)
- Still life
From Tournoux towards Lac des Hermes. These are some steep cross-country slopes! - Branch art
Well, hello there! Found along the the "Rando Luge" track. - Wonderful sunset
- Piste Bashers on La Cucumelle
Plenty of piste bashers starting their night shift on La Cucumelle (2689 m) - View from Pousterle towards SW
Close to Refuge de la Pousterle, view towards Tête de la Canonnière (3205 m), Tête de Soulaure - Pic Félix Neff (3232 m) and Pointes de Rougnoux (3160 m). - La Cucumelle
View of La Cucumelle (2698 m) from our apartment at sunrise - La Cucumelle
View of La Cucumelle (2698 m) from our apartment before sunrise - Pic de Peyre Eyraute
Winter holidays in Puy Saint Vincent. This is the view of Pic de Peyre Eyraute (2903 m) from Residence la Dame Blanche. - Pic de Peyre Eyraute
View of Pic de Peyre Eyraute (2903 m) from Puy Saint Vincent 1800. - Guimarães Castle
- Largo da Oliveira
- Guimarães at night
- Guimarães
A Christmas tree made of plastic bottles. - Guimarães
- Guimarães Castle
- Catherine of Braganza's bedroom
- Duke of Braganza's bedroom
- Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
The chapel - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
The lighting in the Banqueting Hall. - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
Banqueting Hall. The roof is built as an unturned boat and there's the famous Pastrana Tapestry that portrays the Storming of Asilah. This is one of the four tapestries, commissioned by king Afonso V to celebrate the successful conquest of the Moroccan cities of Asilah and Tangiers in 1471. However, the original tapestry is in Spain and the Spanish goverment has "allowed" the reproductions to be made and displayed. - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
Sabres, dating from 18th century. - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
More fancy medieval lights. - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
The palace was built around 1420. - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
Medieval indeed. - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
The doors. After being in ruins for several centuries, the palace was finally restored in the mid-twentieth century. - Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
Entrance to the medieval palace - Church of São Miguel do Castelo
Simple and stunning interior. - Church of São Miguel do Castelo
A Romanesque church, where "apparently" Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal was baptized... Others claim that the church was built about a hundred years later. Oh well. - Guimarães castle
The main tower - Guimarães castle
The entrance is not very welcoming. - Guimarães castle
The entrance towers were added in the 13th century. - Guimarães castle
The castle was built by Mumadona Dias. She was a Countess of Portugal and ruled from about 920 to 968. - Guimarães castle
The castle was built under in the 10th century to defend the monastery from attacks by Moors and Norsemen. WHO?!?