Col d'Eychauda

July 22, 2009
Serre Chevalier
On Sunday we headed to the Col d’Eychauda, which is a pass above Mônetier-les-Bains. Mônetier is one of the string of Serre Chevalier villages and is the second one up the valley from our Chantemerle. In order to reach this Col, one can hike all the way up the mountain, which is a really long way, or one can be reasonable and go about half the way up in a chair lift that, during the winter, is used for skiing. We opted for the reasonable approach!
The road up to the Col from where the lift deposits hikers is fairly steep but the views – as is usually the case – make the effort so worthwhile! When one reaches the Col, there is another trail up to a very high peak called Cucumelle. From the Col side this peak looks just like a pyramid. One of us (not I!) climbed all the way up that very steep trail and, perched precariously at the tip (which it is, quite literally) took photographs. The other one of us (the smarter, in my opinion!) chose to remain at the Col and enjoy the view, keeping her fingers crossed all the while (and it felt like hours) that the other one would make it safely down that slippery, rocky path. Because the photographs that you see here made it safely home, you know that the photographer did so, too.
Monday was a rest day for us, i.e., no hiking, and yesterday Joe was a bit under the weather so we laid low, reading, working a bit and watching the Tour de France on tv. We’d planned to hit the slopes today but the rain is falling and the wind is blowing and we’re not that hardy. Getting caught in the rain while already on the mountain is one thing. Deliberately heading out into it is another, altogether! Tomorrow we’re off to Munich for the weekend, a trip we are greatly anticipating!