DAY 52 - L'ARGENTIÈRE-LA-BESSÉE TO MONT-DAUPHIN

Another up and down day on the GR653D.

Up

Down 

We left our chambre d'hôte in Argentière-la-Bessée after the traditional copious breakfast. We were straight onto the GR653D and almost as quickly going up.

The GR started going up

We have been quite attentive to the different flora on our trip. Yesterday we spotted wild lavender for the first time. Today it was all along the path.

Kath found some wild lavender by the side of the path 

The path headed up for the first 4 kilometres of today's walk, almost up to the Col de l'Aiguille. It was a very attractive climb, with a variety of scenery. 

Up through the rocky scree

Up through the flowering scrub

When the path reached its high point we were treated to panoramic views of the places we would be walking through for the rest of the day.

View of where we were heading 

We walked downhill for a while, crossed the Biaysse river, and headed up to the village of Champcella.  Just past the village we missed a turn on the GR, possibly because I was preoccupied photographing a potentially rare miniature butterfly.

Photographer in action 

We continued along a dead-end road, which led to a walking track heading where we wanted to go. A short way along this track we had our lunch break.

Another peaceful lunch spot

After lunch we rejoined the GR, crossed with it to the Eastern side of the Durance, and detoured up to the medieval village of Saint-Crépin. We wandered around the old part of the village for a while.

Someone had made an effort with their flowers in the old village of Saint-Crépin 

Our host from last night's accommodation had informed us that there was a bakery in Saint-Crépin. We had told her that it would be shut on Tuesdays. (Most establishments in rural France are closed for one day during the week. In our experience, it is usually the day we are passing through.) She assured us it would be open. We had intended to pop in for some healthy fruit tarts to see us through the afternoon. 

Sign in the window of the boulangerie in Saint-Crépin - as we had predicted, its weekly closing day was the day we were there

During the last stage of today's walk, from Saint-Crépin to Mont-Dauphin, we could see threatening clouds approaching from several directions. We had to get out our rain gear for the last half-hour.

The weather was closing in as we approached Mont-Dauphin 

The GR brought us a very scenic way into the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site of Mont-Dauphin. We made our way through the fortifications into the village, and checked in to our hotel. 

Walking down the street to our hotel in Mont-Dauphin 

Day:  52
Distance: 21.3 km
Walking time:  4hrs 59mins
Elevation gain:  765 metres
Cumulative distance:  1267.15 km