From Hassocks to Nevache in the French Alps

The pink monster

The day after the Bodiam visit I was so tired that we let Callum, Alex and Meaghan go out on their own with me in bed. They went up on the Downs at Ditchling Beacon and visited Monkey Business, an indoor soft play area in Lewes in the afternoon. In the evening we babysat so the two sets of parents could go out.

Departure

Cool shades

On Saturday Meaghan and Callum went home - Alex drove them to Heathrow, while Roy accompanied them, so that when Alex took the car back, he wouldn't be alone. They just made the cut off time, so all seemed well.

On Sunday we went out to the Jack and Jill again, where I managed to choose well from the much depleted menu. Goat cheese with caramelised onions in a tart was delicious.

At the Jack and Jill pub

On Monday we had to get up at 5.30am for catching the 6.23am train to Victoria. Stephen advised us to get one of the front carriages and we did get some seats. The change to the tube - first the Circle Line then at Soth Ken the Piccadilly Line - went without a hitch and we arrived in plenty of time in Terminal 2 to check in. The queue was going rather slowly but the little Asian woman checking us in was extremely helpful. She checked us in for both legs of our journey and put us together on both flights. Brussels to Turin we flew on a 70 seater turbo prop, which was exciting.

Sun setting in the Vallee d'Etroit

In Turin Casselle Airport we landed and came through like a dose of salts. Within 20 minutes we were on the bus to Porta Nuova station, where we managed to buy water and a snack and catch the train to Bardonecchia. The trip took 90 minutes and towards the end went through a lovely valley surrounded by big mountains. On arrival we waited in a cafe for Ginny and had another snack.

Just before 9pm Ginny arrived and drove us over the mountain to Nevache, over the border, to their home. That trip was magical, with its hair pin bends and steep mountain sides in the setting sun.

Yesterday Alex and I went on a little outing up the valley of the River Claree on foot and by bus. First we walked through the next village to the nearby town. We visited the church and a produce market. Then caught a 15 seater minibus (3 euro return fare) to the top of the valley, amonst gorgeous views, more hair pin bends and many shingle covered mountain houses.

St. Martin's up the valley

At the top we took lots of photos and decided to walk back down to the campsite where we remembered the minibus stopping on the way up. It took us about 75 minutes, stopping frequently to admire and photograph the view. The weather forecast promised thunderstorms by 2pm, but they never happened. Mountain weather is notoriously unreliable, so we didn't get wet. We were home for lunch and even Alex's washing was bone dry on the line. Ginny made us a lovely pasta bake which disappeared fast, along with the soup and salad.

Today Alex is leaving for the IEC meeting and I am hoping to investigate the col on the route to Italy while Ginny delivers him to Bardonecchia.

PS: I didn't get to investigate the col on Wednesday, because Alex chose to have dinner with us before he was taken to Bardonecchia over the col and the light was going by then.  However, we did two things yesterday (one with Alex and one after he'd gone) which was fun.
1. We went to buy some trout and as the trout farm was on the other side of the valley we got a totally new outlook on Haute Ville with its lovely old church.

Alex near the trout farm

The church from the South

2. We went for a concert in the church on the picture in the evening which was delightful. It was a vocal/choral concert with not much instrumental music, but the voices of the 4 singers (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone) were superb. All were amateurs, but with what seemed to me professional training. The program ranged from the 15th century right through folk songs to Debussy and Britten.  Most were totally unaccompanied, but some were solo with piano or guitar accompaniment, plus percussion. We even heard Greensleeves in English.  It was fun and while it made me go to bed at midnight and cost 10 Euros, it was well worth going.

Apologies for the quality of the photos, but the lighting was not particularly good and we were not supposed to use flash in the church.