Randonee

Randonee. The French word for 'hike' according to my dictionary. But it sounds like so much more ... I like the English word 'ramble', with all the images of setting out and not really knowing what the walk will bring, being prepared to stop and look, or take a different path, or just walk off in a random direction...

Anyway, my friend Marianne and I went on a randonee today, up to St Guilhem le Desert, to walk Les Fenestrelles trail - 10km, 3hours and 30 minutes. Woohoo!! Al did the lunchtime school pickup and drop off, so we were free to walk where we would!! Actually we followed the trail, which was clearly marked. The vegetation was low and fragrant, pines, rosemary, thyme, different types of small oaks, and other shrubs. The ground was well-drained and stony, no mud at all!!


See this huge ship-like rock? We walked around the base of it, past the other outcrop behind it, and over the top, so we ended up looking down on the two ship rocks. The tracks were zig-zag mule trail types, so it wasn't too steep, but we were amazed at how high we were. So high we could breathe clouds!! And we could see as far as our eyes would let us. I love to stand on top of the world. THIS is why I came to France!!


Looking back at the ship rock after passing around the base of it.


Looking back down the valley from whence we came.


Oh Yeah! On top of the world!! Looking down onto the top-most ship rock.