DAY 17: Monday June 18th - Montgenevre to Nevache:
Wal;: 22k 8hrs, blue skies again: 18°C to 26°C
Accommodation: Gite La Découverte Nevache
6.30am and time to do FaceTime to Bonnie and Clancy and Ian's mum
A long way up to the Col de Lauze
Grassy fields on the way to the Col
It's stony and spartan up high
I hope there's no sheep at the top
Our first snow drift at 2000 metres
Can you ever get tired of this view
It's steep to the Col de Lauze
Col de Lauze 2,529 metres
The view to the Ecrins on the other side is even better
Yes, the map says it's the Ecrins
A GR5 sign is almost as good as GPS
The stony road down the other side
Where we're going is down there
This is the 25th zig and zag
The Claree River is a raging torrent
At last Nevache
Today was a big day to the Col de Lauze, a 2,529 metre mountain pass, our first day in the High Alps. From Montgenevre we climbed 700m then down 1,000 m to Nevache and got to meet 4 Americans.
We awake at 7am and I poke my head out the attic window, it’s a fine but coolish 18°C. We drag in our washing then Skype and Facetime home - I'm regretting bringing my phone, case and charger. We shower, pack and at 7.30am go to breakfast - instant coffee's, reheated croissant and sugary cornflakes.
We leave at 8am, passing Napolean's Monument then turn left on the GR5 up the gorge and climb up through woodland, stony tracks, grassy fields, and eventually reach our first snow drifts. I fill my water bottle from a stream and hope there’s no goats or sheep in the mountain contaminating the water. We’re glad we didn't wait for the Sherpa shop to open at 9am. We'll make do - I have some Rice Crackers and Vegemite. We see 4 walkers just 400 metres ahead and follow them to the Col de Lauze at 2,529 metres, our highest Col so far. Eventually we reach them at the Col. One of them says Bonjour in a strange accent. Ian replies with Bonjour - and then we realise that none of us is French. They are Americans from Maine so we sit and chat for 20 mins and discover that tomorrow night we’ll all be at Mont Thabor Refuge and also the Refuge Peclet Ponset in the Vanoise. They have been told the snow on the pass is clear. They move on while we have a coffee. It's 1,000 metres downhill from - for 5 hrs.
The first bit is down to Col de Dormillouse at 2,400m, then to a gravel track through forests and snow drifts where we have a second morning tea beside a stream. Down to a gravel road where we find our 4 American Friends, Dave, Rob, Tuli and Karen having lunch by a stream. It's 12.45pm - too early for us so we move on and cross a stream on a precarious log then down a gravel road with at least 25 zig zags for 5k with stunning views. At 2pm, we reach the bottom at Plampinet and I see a picnic table near a stream. We eat all the left overs - melted butter, greasy ham, soft cheese, squishy tomatoes, slimy mace and stale bread. But there's a pipe gushing cold water so we can wash it all down with an icy cold drink.
It’s 4k up the road to Nevache through the Valley of the Claree River, and we see our American friends resting by the roadside. We’ve played tag with them all day. There's camper vans lining the road. It's a hot 27°C when we reach the turnoff to our Gite, 2k past where we’ll return to tomorrow. We have a photo of the Gite and at 4pm we recognise La Decouverte. The women are in the kitchen cooking dinner. It smells good and we see 5 large bowls of lettuce - greenery will be nice. We have a demi pension (dinner, bed and breakfast) - that's good because apart from vegemite and crackers, we are out of food.
We shower, do our sweaty dusty washing, then it's time for a beer. Ian has a sweet Genepi beer and I have rose. Then we email and blog as they have WiFi. We ask the manager if there's a shop open in the morning and points 400 metres down the road so we check it out to see how early it opens. Nevache is a very old village with streets so narrow, there is a car park to the village and from there, it's walking only. We find the shop and discover they are "Ferme Mardi" - closed Tuesday and that's tomorrow. It's now or never so we buy ham, goats cheese and bread. We see our American friends at their gite and say Hi, see you tomorrow. Then back to La Decouverte and the manager stores our lunch bag in the kitchen fridge.
At 7.30pm and the dining room is full. There’s a walking group of 20 people from Paris - all over 65 – we’re the youngest! We chat to them in poor French until someone asks if we speak English!! And then we have a real conversation. They’ve come here for 3 days - Nevache is a walkers paradise. Dinner is superb - a huge bowl of greens, tomatoes, goats cheese and walnuts to share, followed by pasta and green curried meat (better than it sounds), chocolate tart, with a red wine. We leave the table like stuffed rag dolls. On the way out we meet a French gentleman who tells us in English about the conditions on the way to Mont Thabor. French people are so helpful - especially when you try to speak a little French.