Freissinières, France

19-09-2015

The Freissinières Valley

Nice walk today in a spectacular French Valley... or forest, rather. I went with my wife and a couple of friends to a large selection of climbing walls overlooking the valley - I don't personally climb for I don't really like it, but I belayed them on their ways up and down, to the great satisfaction of them all, apparently ;-)

 

The place is really idillic - pine forests with their typical lovely smell, lavender shrubs, a nice path all around and lots of walls to climb on, for all difficulties. There's also a Via Ferrata of which we didn't know about, otherwise I'd have brought my kit... as much as I don't like free climbing, I love Via Ferratas!

I enjoyed my belaying role treading barefoot on the ground, whilst I used my sandals to move from one wall section to another - there were too many small sharp stones about to just ditch the shoes altogether. Anyhow, I think I didn't do too bad for a trainee barefoot hiker  ;-)

Barefoot training

The day went on smoothly, we had lots of fun, and we thoroughly enjoyed the sunny late summer day - even if I ended up with a cranked neck for the unusual looking-up position... nothing that a good night rest, with some ointment and a fleece buff on my neck didn't cure...  ;-)
A truly perfect day!!!







as usual, a few more pictures here.