Hiking the Col de la Aussois-day one

So this was the worst of it. Might as well start there. All those alpine meadow postcards, with wild flowers, they're all true. But so is this, the Col de Aussois, a saddle between two peaks, above the tree line. That's Joey in the photo. This was the highest point on our trip, 2,958 meters. It was amazing and very difficult to climb.

Our hotel host drove us to the trailhead, which saved about two hours of walking. Then we hiked 10 hours, with a few rest stops. The hike was rated very strenuous and had a place on the map where the red line became a dotted line. That signaled an even more difficult passage. That was the Col de Aussois. It was supposed to take 6 hours, but it took us 10. Many very fit people bounded past us as we lumbered along. They were very long-limbed, tan, athletic and wearing the briefest of hiking shorts. Reminded me of Karen and Mary Lynn's Dutch house guest.

Boy, were we glad to arrive at at the refuge. We arrived at 7pm as they were serving the first dinner shift. Our dinner, second shift was at 8pm. It's all true about the refuges!! They fed us a four course meal and wine. That's wine we didn't have to carry. And we bunked in a room with 7 other people. The bed was comfortable and warm. We sure did sleep. That was our first day on the trail. We hiked a 4 day loop around the Glacier de la Vanoise.

The idea for this hike started when we read about it in Classic Hikes of the World by Peter Potterfield. At first it sounded out of our class, but we did it!

Our Hiking Friends

Along the trail we met two hiking buddies Karen & Morgan who apparently were going to the same Refuges we were. This is Morgan. So we started hiking every day together until we got back to town where we met them for dinner and stayed at a hotel until the next morning we had to say Good Bye and head back to town, 6 hours away in Auribeau. But we still keep in touch by E-Mail. By Joey.

Old Auribeau

Yesterday was a flea market with vendors lining the narrow streets of the 13th century walled section of Auribeau. Our lucky day! We took time to stroll through the cobbled streets and look at the vendor’s offerings. However, an established souvenir shop was were we found linens, olive wood kitchen tools, and local honey that we purchased.

Lunch at Nossi Bé

Restaurant Nossi Bé, as recommended by Richard, our host, is the “best” place to eat in Auribeau sur la Siagne. We made 1:30 reservations for lunch, the latest time they served lunch on Sunday. Nossi Bé is on the hill in the old village. We were advised of a major activity occurring in the old village and to park at the school at the base of the hill and take the shuttle up to the restaurant.

After dressing for a fancy restaurant and the 30ºC summer heat, driving the hot car into a dead-end, going back once and losing our way twice, we parked in a large car park at what we hoped was “the school,” to wait for the shuttle bus which would take us up the hill to the old village of Auribeau sur la Siagne. We were going to be late if we didn’t get a shuttle bus soon. Or we could walk up in about 20 mins and arrive drenched in sweat. Normally being late for a reservation wouldn’t be a big deal, but after two phone calls, talking to three different people, to get our reservation, we wanted to be on time. With some trepidation we braved a conversation with the one other person waiting, a middle-aged woman dressed for the heat in pink shorts; she looked easy going. With a combination of several languages and hand signals we established that we were in the right place and that the bus would be here in 15 minutes. When her husband arrived to get her, she requested he drive us up to the restaurant in their car even though she had just descended the hill. We scooted into the car and he whisked us up the narrow roads to the top, letting us out right by our destination. The woman informed us that they were Italian tourists and wished us bonne vacation. Thus we arrived to our first meal in a fancy Provencal restaurant, on time and sans sweat. And we were seated on the terrace overlooking the valley to the north—just what we had hoped. Our meal was fantastic!!

First Night in Auribeau sur Siagne

We are now in Auribeau, France. It is remarkably like
southern California (sunny and very warm), and the
home we are in is magnificent. The living space is on the
second floor over the ground floor garage and studio
apartment From the gate a stairway leads to the front
porch. Attached is a view from the front porch
looking east down the stairs. Last night we ate dinner
after sundown on the veranda which faces east and south
off the kitchen.

Auribeau sur Siagne is originally a 13th century
village that has now suburbanized with many new homes.
However the new homes are designed to maintain the
character of early Mediterranean architecture. with
earth-tone stucco exterior, arched and shuttered
windows, and tile roofs.

Unfortunately Kathleen's luggage is lost and we are
waiting for Delta Airlines to deliver it to the house.
She will buy some lightweight clothes today to get
by, but she needs the luggage before we go hiking in
the Alps on Monday.