Tuesday 12th July 2005 - Day 3

 

Tuesday was a good day in several ways. But disappointing in others. The good things are immediate, the disappointments will take longer to develop.

The good things were that I got to Les Vans by mid-afternoon, thanks to a lift I got from a nice black lady who gave me a lift along most of the D10 from Seyras. Without it I would have run out of water long before I got to Les Vans. And it would have been about 6 when I got there.

Anyway I got a hotel room at a decent enough hotel, where I collapsed on the bed and watched the Tour de France go up Courchevel. And I thought that I had it lucky!

 

 

The secular end of the village

 

  

Looking up to Thines from the valley

  

The apse of the church
Setting off from Thines.

 

 Looking up to Thines from the valley

 

 The apse of the church, Thines

 
 

The Romanesque church of Thines

 

  

The valley side below Thines

  

Thines
The Romanesque church of Thines.

 

 The ridge continues below Thines

 

 Thines - a view as we start to climb again.

 

 

But let us get back to the day's walk. After sorting out my blisters, I got started at 9. There was a lot of uphill to start with but the path was good. After an hour I was at the village of Lablechere, which is at the end of one track road. It must be one of the most isolated villages in France. But at least it does have a road and so good progress was made along the road through pine forests. These forests lasted all the way to Seyras. Towards the end there was a steep descent into the valley of the Chassezac which was quite hard work. But even harder work was the long climb up to Seyras. This was along what in Corsica would be called a walled road. A dry-stane dyke is built along the slope, it is filled in behind with small rocks and the road runs along the top of the wall.

 

 

The steep valleys of the Cevennes

 

  

Thines from across the valley.

  

Thines and its setting.
The steep valleys of the Cevennes. Thines from across the valley

 

 Thines and its setting.

 
 

Thines from La Blacherette

 

  

Thines

  

Walking through the woods
Thines from La Blacherette

 

 Thines.

 

 Walking through the woods.

 
 

Thinette

 

  

On the GR4

  

The GR4, above Malarce.
I think that must be Thinette in the distance

 

 Descending into the Chassezac valley. The red and white stripes tell me that I am on the GR.

 

 The GR4 above Malarce.

 
 

View from the GR4, above Malarce.

 

  

Looking into the Cassezac valley, from the north.

  

Pine tree bark, near Malarce
The Chassezac Valley

 

 Looking into the Chassezac valley Pine tree bark in the valley below Malarce.

 

It is beautiful countryside when one can see it through the trees. I only wish I could have had more thoughts for the countryside than for my feet!

In Les Vans I phoned Chris and told her I would be heading for Lodeve tomorrow. Then into town where I had a beer then had a huge dinner in the Hotel des Cevennes. 23€ for 5 courses - which I could not finish - plus another 5€ for a half liter of red wine. Then back to the hotel where I slept for 10 and a half hours!

 

 

Malarce

 

  

A

 

The lady who gave me a lift.
Malarce from across its steep valley.

 

 A walled road, Cevennes style. The lady who gave me the lift.
 

My hotel in Les Vans

 

  

The Temple, Les Vans

  

The Church in Les Vans
My hotel in Les Vans. Not a great hotel but very welcome for the footsore traveller.

 

 The Protestant Temple in Les Vans The Catholic Church in Les Vans.

 

   

Day3 after

  
  Route walked on Day 3

Here is a larger version.

and

Here is a huge version.

  

 

 
 

Here is the actual GPS track superimposed on Google Earth

 

 

shows where today's photographs were taken.