Cascade du Casset of the Torrent du Vallon, Valgaudémar

Picnic at Gioberney, Valgaudémar

Third hike, still in fine autumn weather, driving up the route of the cascades, the river Séveraisse of the Valgaudémar. The view from behind the waterfall Cascade du Casset of the Torrent du Vallon is quite special, the veil of water droplets in front of the eyes, reminding me slightly of the duality between waves and particles: is the flow a liquid or a combination of droplets?

Going-home picture: the road down from the last hike of the trip

Up to Gioberney, 1650 m., we enjoyed a picnic in sight of a few small and enfeebled glaciers. The youngish boulanger down the valley in St. Firmin opens his shop only for the mornings now it’s September, he’ll be out on his Ducati or parascending this afternoon. We enjoyed one of his luscious spinach tartes with the marmottes calling and the birds strafing the birch trees, now turning golden with the overnight chill or frost.

Final picture of this set, a going-home picture. The road is downwards from the trailhead, the skies are beginning to cloud up and the trees are turning to their autumn colours. It’s the first day after the autumn equinox so the nights are now longer than the days. There’ll be a few more warm clear days but winter approaches.