Happy Christmas!

Sunset on the Dentelles de Montmirail, Provence

Whilst life in Provence continues to be mellow and very pleasant, winter has arrived in the Alps and it's going to be a good one.
There is an awful lot of snow, in some places too much at the moment, notably in the northern Alps, where the avalanche risk is very high.
Further south the recent snowfall has been more moderate, and this, added to the good base already established over the last few weeks, has given excellent conditions in the Val Clarée and Queyras regions, two of the best venues for snowshoeing.

So we dusted off the snowshoes and took ourselves over to the Queyras to check out some routes for this winter. This is a region that has long been on my list of places to visit, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

 



Wild shady valleys open up to high cwms and tempting cols, often with accessible peaks close by. There was loads of snow, most of it untracked at this time of year, and it was VERY cold!

It was a real pleasure to get out in these perfect winter conditions and rediscover the joys of snowshoeing. The views were magnificent, all new vistas that I will need to discover little by little.

Meanwhile, we mustn't forget it's Christmas! My friend and photo magician Bel Youngson has persuaded Zig, the Trekking in the Alps Mascot, to dress accordingly and she's come up with a lovely Christmas shot.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!





Photo Bel Youngson