Mystery walk

Just north of St Martin de Londres there is a pull-off car park and a sign that says 'Ravin des arcs'. I've always been curious about it, and for my last French randonnee, Mar and I decided to find out what it was. It sounded interesting, ...ravin - ravine ...of arcs? What kind of arcs? So off we went, up and over a shingly hill, through a low-growing, freshly-leafed deciduous oak forest, and down a steep stony track to ... this



I thought I'd seen everything that this part of France had offer, but no ...

The delicacy of the new leaves, bright green and almost translucent, contrasts with the massive solidity of the boulders, grey and smooth. The wall of the ravine rise out of the water like the hull of a great ship, complete with rust stains and waterline. And here's the arch - water tumbles through it, deeply green and clear - you can see all the way down to the river bed, to the logs and stones lying there.



No need to walk any further, paradise is here...