Tuesday, September 13, 2011

l'Ubaye rafting

In August, one weekend we went camping to the Ubaye valley.  Jakub's friend Emilian is a raft guide, so he was generous enough to take me and Tommy rafting.  Tommy went down a class III portion of the Ubaye and I went down a class IV.  We also met some new people and got to practice our French which I thought I forgot since I didn't speak it at all in July - but luckily it came back.  The kids spent the rest of the time playing by the river bank and in a mud pit.  In the evenings, we went to a nearby town, Barcelonette, a very beautiful place to hang out.   A Mexican/Spanish festival was underway so we enjoyed two open air concerts.  The first, our favourite, Zulu 9.30 has now become part of our CD collection.  It is Spanish reggae!


Pic Saint Michel hike

We have spent 2 weeks back in France in early August and the weather has been gorgeous, so while Jakub was at work I took the kids on a hike to Pic Saint Michel which is in the Vercors mountain range (elevation 1966m).  The ascent is about 700m, but we didn't make it all the way up (but almost!).  After the hike we stopped for the most amazing ice cream I've ever had in the Auberge Allieres, and the three of us could barely eat it all. Overall a fun day out and about.

View from the top of our hike.  Grenoble to the left just behind the Pic Saint Michel.  Mt Blanc in the distance?



Pic Saint Michel just behind the kids.
Treat for such a big effort.


 Cool flower wagon by the hut.