Apart from the other attributes of this excellent hotel, the wiffee is absolutely stellar. Makes adding photos much easier and quicker. Today we woke late again. No excuse, except that the roller window shutters block out all light, and only daylight coming from the second room across the vestibule gave us any clue that it was 8am.
The mountains around Cauterets were wreathed in cloud, but it seemed to be lifting, so the best plan appeared to be to go to Gavarnie and hope for the best. It turned out to be a beautiful clear day, until late in the afternoon.
Part of the path from Gavarnie to the Cirque
CrocusThere’s definitely intelligent life on this planet.Restaurant was on the other side of the building, facing the Cirque. The sheep wore bells sounding different notes, quite euphonious.At dead centre of this photo is part of the path to the base of the falls, with humans visible more than a kilometre away. To justify sitting here at the restaurant tables in the shade, I had a croque monsieur. I wasn’t hungry, it was huge and weighed heavily on my stomach. I needed to burn off some energy, and the croque, to get hungry for dinner at the hotel tonight.It was an hour’s round trip. Plenty of phone signal here, so I could call Anne at the restaurant. Not Vodafone though, but SFR. Phones are not locked to one network here.The restaurant is down there. In theory, Anne and I could see each other. Walking down the steepest part was slower than walking up. Loose rocks and gravel, a kind of slow motion landslide. Very hard on my only pair of shoes.Later photos on the way down were better, not directly into the sun.
Anne selecting a sheep bell in Gavarnie with Cirque in the background
On the way home, we drove over the Col de Tourmalet. By this time the cloud had lowered.
The last few km were very steep approaching from the eastern side in 2nd gear. A very tough climb on a bike.Great view down there somewhere.Anne bought me this at the top, to go with the Mont Ventoux one at home. I have mixed feelings about this, as I didn’t ride a bike up. I did change gear in the car many times. I earned the Mont Ventoux one though, in 2010.
We arrived back at the hotel just in time for dinner at 7:30pm. Once again, a superb 4 course meal. The clientele was all French, except us. I’d decided again that 4 courses is too many, and declined the dessert in favour of coffee. The nice French lady brought 2 spoons with Anne’s Basque Gateau and vanilla bean ice cream. Anne took one taste, and refused to share it, insisted it was so good I had to get my own.
Anne recalled that the drink we had here 5 years ago was Creme de Mure mixed with local wine. Thomas, of the hotel, didn’t recall it. We’ll have to make our own.
