Autumn is
one of those times of year when my camera never leaves my side. In the same way
spring heralds the year to come with wild flowers, blossoming fruit trees and
contrasting skies, autumn is the end, but nature doesn’t just fizzle out to
nothing it goes into hibernation with a BANG! Everywhere you look it seems as
though the trees are vying with each other, all the hues of red, brown and
orange in a spectacular display that bring out the poet it all of us!
The
first lines of Ode to Autumn by Keats, that I was forced to learn at school
much to my dislike at the time, repeat themselves in mind “Season of mists and
mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of
the maturing sun…”
Thank you
Mr. English Teacher (I can’t remember his name, but he was my English teacher at
UWC in Singapore)
So
yesterday afternoon I decided to go for a drive up to the summit of the
Montagne de Lure, which is a 20 minute drive from my house. I wanted to
photograph the forests on the way up and then see if I could catch the sunset.
As I drove I was worried about arriving too late for the sunset so I skipped
the forest bit and went straight to the top. I walked the last bit to the ridge
which follows the summit, paused and then said WOW like I do every single time
I get up there.
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| The Montagne de Lure viewed from the valley below, St Etienne side. |
The
Montagne de Lure is 1826 meters high, and is part of the same massif as the
Mont Ventoux. Like the Ventoux it is mainly just loose shingle on the top, but
being slightly lower, Lure has a bit more vegetation. The drive to the summit starts
in St Etienne des Orgues and is 18kms. Halfway up you can stop of at the Chapel
of Notre Dame de Lure built in 1166, the only person who lives there now is a
hermit who my children call Jack Sparrow as he has his beard done in gray
dreadlocks! I will add a photo later… The Montagne de Lure was a stage in the
2009 Paris-Nice cycle race and I was at the summit to witness Alberto Contador
win with a time of 34 min 20 s and not a bead of sweat! The race will return to
the mountain next year and I will be there again to see the arrival.
Once you
approach the summit, you will come to a collection of ugly looking buildings,
one is the restaurant/bar where you can have a bite to eat in season, though if
you are in a hurry take a picnic lunch with you. In the winter this is as far
as you can go if the snow has fallen in sufficient quantities and the two ski
lifts are operational, don’t expect huge alpine runs here, but for taking the
kids on a Sunday afternoon it’s perfect.
If there
is no snow, as was the case yesterday, you can carry on to the top. I like to
stop once you come out of the last of the trees in an area marked by a commemorative
stone. From here you can walk up to the top and if you have small children,
hang on to them, and only release them once you reach the ridge before the vertiginous
descent of over 1000 meters down in to the Jabron Valley on the other side.
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| The summit of the Mountain (with a few patches of snow) |
When you get here this is
where you will say WOW, in fact usually people take a step back and use a
slightly more colourful expression as you have before you one of the
most spectacular views available in Provence.
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| The view north from the ridge |
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| The same view with a bit of zoom |
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| View to the west and the familiar silhouette of the Mont Ventoux |
So back
to my Lure experience yesterday. As I walked to the top I spotted something
moving to my right. Now I have already seen Chamois down the Jabron side, so I
supposed that this is what it was and gently walked up to see. There, not more
than 50 meters away was a Chamois, munching on the limited vegetation growing
between the lumps of rock, it looked up in my direction (I was flat on my belly
madly clicking away with my camera) and carried on its evening meal.
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| The Chamois looking in my direction... |
Later it
walked to an outcrop, posed for me, and then, two Mirage Jets very low flying
back to their base, close enough for me to smell the burnt kerosene vapours,
flew over scaring the hell out of my furry companion.
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| The Chamois posing |
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| The Noise |
So that
was my nature moment buggered up…
But now
something else was happening, as I walked along the ridge I saw two cars park
near mine. The two couples walked up towards the summit, pulled out blankets
and laid down facing the sun, and waited.
By this
time the light was that wonderful rich golden orange colour that lasts only a short while and usually I don’t
have my camera handy, but this time I did, and I got a few nice shots.
Then I
too faced the sun, and witnessed a moment that happens every day and no matter
how often I see it its magic will never wear off. It has to be said that the
sunset on the top of the Montagne de Lure is particularly stunning and in this
case I think the pictures do all the talking themselves…
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| Going |
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| Going |
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| Gone |
The
Montagne de Lure is spectacular in all seasons and a perfect place to escape
the heat of summer. If you would like to know more or would like to include it
in a bespoke itinerary of Provence, contact me using the link on the right.
