A Blog by Dermot Dolan

A Blog by Dermot Dolan, all work is copyright of Dermot Dolan.

Sunday 20 July 2014

France Summer 2014

Hello All. It is now time for an update. The reason for no posts for the last few weeks is that I am walking and photographing France or at least some parts of it.
Flew to Geneva and started walking the gr 5 from Led Houches near Chamonix to Modane on the Italian border.Hardest walk so far mainly because of underfoot conditions a lot of snow and ground you would slip on easily. Spent a few days doing Tour the Mount Blanc. The Crete's were the worst, ridges at about 2500 meters, loose your footing carrying a 15 kg backpack plus a heavy Nikon camera strapped to the front of your body and when you start skidding down you will get scared. I am still alive . Stayed in refuge du col Palet 2650 meters whole area covered in deep snow an experience.
Then got train which cost a fortune from Modane via Lyon Canne to Grasse to walk gr4 only to discover fist section has very little of Gite d Etape the cheap accom I use. Got bus to Castellane and walked the gr 4 to Create. Not enough of gites and route not marked in places impoosile to buy the toppo guide I wanted. Very hot one day at one was 40 c. A lot of climbing, Highlights the gite called the wall of bees in Rougan, will give more info latter it is a place you should visit amazing people.
Now the Gorge du Verdon . When you enter you see warning sign no exit for six hours and to be sure you have enough water and a headlight for the Tunnels. It said nothing about the couple of hundred metal steps. Great fun when you don't break anything.
Now on Apt on a Camino trail gr 653 d. Went into the small tourist office there one man came in at same time, he was Irish and when lady in tourist office asked him where in Ireland he said Sligo. So to you John Ryan craft potter from Ballymote you Wife and two Girls what a Co incident. Regards to all more text and many photographs when I get home. Oh what amazing lavender fields in Provence.

6 comments:

  1. Great post Dermot. I gather this trek is more demanding than you expected. At the same time, it is a great experience. Bon voyage on rest of adventure

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  2. Great post Dermot. I gather this trek is more demanding than anticipated. Great experience, though. Looking forward to seeing great photos. Bon voyage on rest of adventure. Jim

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  3. A coincidence indeed Dermot and also a pleasure to meet you, back in Sligo potting now. Love you blog and great photos.Happy trails, John.

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  4. Cheers John. Gone from Provence and now doing Le chemin de Saint Guilhem Le Desert in reverse. Heading towards the Aubrac. Body now getting tired. Will post many photographs when I get home. Regards Dermot

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  5. Hello Dermot,
    It's Roisin here from the Office de Tourisme in Le Vigan, hope your goings are good, that you're not to boiled in our current weather situation, and that you'll get home safely soon. Also hope my information came to some use!
    I showed some of your photos to my boss, and she thinks they're lovely (of course!); we were just wondering if it could be possible to take some of them (with your name on, bien sûr) to show on our big screen in the Office, if you came to publish any of our part of the Cévennes...
    Take care,
    Roisin

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  6. Rosin great to hear from you. Still in France back home tomorrow. Of course I would be interested and will get in touch with in a few weeks when I edit some of my photographs. Regards Dermot

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