L'Alsace, du 21 au 28 septembre 2024
Un CR par jour a été demandé aux personnes volontaires, ce qui constitue un important volume de texte. En conséquence, et pour ne pas faire double emploi avec le journal infos, ces textes sont consultables dans la brochure N°130.
Entre Gers et Garonne, du 8 au 15 juin 2024
Un CR par jour a été demandé aux personnes volontaires, ce qui constitue un important volume de texte. En conséquence, et pour ne pas faire double emploi avec le journal infos, ces textes sont consultables dans la brochure N°129.
Côte d'Opale, du 8 au 15 octobre 2023
Un CR par jour a été demandé aux personnes volontaires, ce qui constitue un important volume de texte. En conséquence, et pour ne pas faire double emploi avec le journal infos, ces textes sont consultables dans la brochure N°127.
Vogüé (Ardèche), du 30 septembre au 7 octobre 2022
Un CR par jour a été demandé aux personnes volontaires, ce qui constitue un important volume de texte. En conséquence, et pour ne pas faire double emploi avec le journal infos, ces textes sont consultables dans la brochure N°124.
Asturias (Spain), from May 24 to June 3, 2022
One CR per day was requested from volunteers, which constitutes a large volume of text. Consequently, and so as not to duplicate the news bulletin, these texts can be consulted in brochure No. 123. Below is presented only the first text, which presents the trip in a few lines.
Asturias is very “jouli”.
A perky troupe gathers at number 1 rue Montcalm. It's early afternoon, the group of bipeds are waiting on the sidewalk. They prance, laugh, trample. A bus arrives, everyone rushes into it. Direction Charles de Gaulle airport.
It is surely the summer camp that is going to Asturias. What youth!
Well, I don't know about you, but me, flying doesn't scare me at all. But then, not at all. Except when the stewardess introduces us to the security measures. This is where I begin to doubt. She tells us that a life jacket is under our seat, and tells us how to use it. So the plane can fall! The statistics are formal on this point, there is little risk. I cling to this idea. When I see the vest, I sweat. If that junk vest ever saved someone's life, I want their name and address. It has a small strap that needs to be clipped. As soon as you are out of the plane, you have to inflate it by pulling on a small string. You can also inflate it yourself, because it has a small straw, you just have to blow. So there I imagine. The plane falls, we are over 10,000 meters above sea level, I grab the vest, I put it on, and I wait patiently to be outside the plane. At that moment, I pull on the string, or else I blow. If I'm in the water, in the air, upside down, I blow, I shoot, I blow, I shoot. Who are we laughing at ?
But it's not over, the plane flies quietly, and for some unexplained reason, there is no more air inside. The hostess tells us that there may be a depressurization of the device. Within seconds human beings faint. So, we must not delay, the hostess informs us that a mask will fall in front of us, we will have to put it on our mouth and on our nose. In this time of a pandemic, above all, be very careful, I refuse to put on my neighbor's mask. I'd rather die of asphyxiation than catch covid. I had my three injections, but you never know. These measures are supposed to reassure us, but who are we kidding? Well, fortunately, the statistics are formal, the risks are minimal, it's scientific. Well, if science gets involved, I bow! Well, finally the outward / return went very well.
Asturias is located in the north of Spain. The Asturians are Celts like the Galicians, Scots, Irish and Bretons. The landscapes are a magnificent mix of high mountains with "los Picos de Europa" and coastal landscapes of the "Costa verde". "Los Picos de Europa" is the highest massif in the Cantabrian Mountains, it culminates at 2649 meters, and is located 30 km from the sea.
We had the chance to visit this "very pleasant" region during beautiful hikes. The first day we do the gorges of the Rio Cares. According to our guide, the hike is very difficult. So we make two groups. A group of very very strong and another group of very very strong. Everyone follows: some very high, others along the river. The next day the lakes of Covadongas where you can admire the eternal snow: you just have to look up. We visit the Cangas de Onis cave, where we saw a virgin and a magic spring. If you drink the water from this spring, you are sure to get married within a year. Prepare your outfits for weddings, some and some believed in it. I say you never know, when I arrive, I run to Zara.
We also drank the cider served the Asturian way. Under the music of the "cornemouse", you have to take a bottle of cider with the right hand stretched as high as possible above the head, and in the left hand a glass with the arm very very low at the level of the pubis, and there, without looking, you have to aim at the glass, and that's it. It seems to be the tradition. I find it a bit complicated to drink a glass of cider. But hey if it's the tradition, I bow.
Our guide was keen to help us discover his region. We went for a ghost train ride to an iron mine in Oviedo. To fetch iron, the miners had the chance to ride a ghost train 12 hours a day. Even children from the age of eight or nine had this privilege. The small, agile children had saddlebags full of sneezing powder. They threaded their way through the narrow trenches to fill the cavities with this magic powder. When the rock sneezed, they had won. Many men and children remained buried for eternity. Coucou/hidden was a very widespread game, already, at that time. The miners of the time found 12 hours on a ghost train to be a lot. So they rebelled, and demanded rights. What an idea, I swear. More ghost train, more iron, more iron, more money for mining companies. In the republican Spain of the time, inadmissible. A buoyant young general will put an end to this farce. His favorite peekaboo/I'm the strongest game. In one week, 3,000 miners in Oviedo will be murdered under the bullets of General Franco's army, /hello/ I'm shooting, I'm killing you. Many thanks to historians for reminding us of history. In Spain, Franco's dictatorship will be the longest in the history of Europe: 40 years!
After the horror a bit of magic. Our guide tells us about Xana, a magical character that can be seen in the waterways. Some were lucky enough to see them. Well, after drinking lots and lots of cider. Yes it is possible.
During this beautiful stay, the weather was mild, and we admired sumptuous landscapes between sea and mountains. We also had the chance to walk 2 hours in the pouring rain. You have to be young! But we are! It's good news.
We ate more than necessary. The Spanish restaurant, with its gargantuan menus, delighted us. Okay, we didn't get our five fruits and vegetables a day as the World Health Organization recommends, but we've been stocking up on meat for the coming months.
We had the chance to admire the spider of Louise Bourgeois, 10 meters high, respect Madame Bourgeois. A little tour on "Googly" informs us that this spider symbolizes for her, the maternal figure both protective and castrating. Okay !
Behind the spider we contemplated the Guggenheim Museum by architect Frank Gehry: sumptuous.
A big thank you to the organizers of all kinds who wet their shirts, to offer us this beautiful trip full of surprises.
Michele Sabardeil
Lamoura (Jura), from October 9 to 16, 2021
One CR per day was requested from volunteers, which constitutes a large volume of text. Consequently, and so as not to duplicate the news bulletin, these texts can be consulted in brochure N°122. Below is presented only the first text, which presents the trip in a few lines.
I swear to you madam, the Jura is climbing
It was at the information meeting on our departure in the Jura that I discovered with terror the elevations of our future hikes: 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, almost 1000 meters of elevation. They are crazy those Romans.
I growl, I cry, I worry. So two solutions are available to me. Flee or fight. I chose wrestling, it's much more noble.
As usual, it's early and in a good mood that the troop of merry men rushes towards the Jura peaks. Almost everything is planned, various stops, breakfast, lunch, visit.
We arrive in the evening at the village of Cap France in Lamoura, where we are welcomed by a young and friendly team. The rooms are pleasant, and we settle down quietly. Some, like me, have chosen a single room. In mine there are 7 single beds, in addition to mine. I waited for the dwarves all week “hey ho, we're coming home from work”, they never came. I swear ma'am, dwarfs aren't what they used to be.
The hikes start the next morning. The temperatures are cool and we have to scrape the windshield every day. Fortunately the sun will be there all week. A real joy.
The leading man will be the same all week. And what a man! It's a cape… it's a peak… it's a rock…! But a rock of paper that has nothing to do with all these new technologies. They can let you down at the slightest opportunity. Computer bugs, dead batteries, and other such jokes. Him, it's the paper that makes him vibrate, he prefers the 1/25,000 map rolled up in his secret pocket. For him, paper remains a safe bet. Of course, for mysterious crossroads, heroes come together, and on those occasions technology can help. The troop waits heckling. If by misfortune we have to turn back, the Jura residents can hear disturbing screams!
We were able to admire all along the paths, the colchicums in the meadows, the autumn leaf blown away by the wind, some mountain centaury, and many other flowers, which only a few well-informed poets know how to name. Many families of mushrooms with improbable hats allowed us several marvelous stops.
The hedgehog waterfalls are exceptionally beautiful. I thought I saw hedgehogs! Not one ! So I searched the internet. The name does not come from the animal, but it would come from "Yrisson" which meant "Sacred Water". Everything is explained.
At the end of the Hérisson waterfalls walk, to tell the truth, on the last 300 meters an extreme acrobat took a stone for a springboard, and hop the blood flowed. Disinfection, dressing, bandage, the "rescuer hikers" provided first aid with energy, efficiency and speed. But let nature lovers be reassured that there is no impact on the environment. Then, direction the Morbier hospital, where the white coats had to take out the thread and the needle. We were all shaken up by this fall, but more fear than harm. The flyer is fine. Whew. I swear ma'am, my head is bleeding a lot.
Hiking in Switzerland made my head spin. Arrived at the top of a slightly steep climb, I had shortness of breath, tachycardia, cold sweats, in a jiffy, I found myself lying on my back, my legs in the air and my mouth full of sugar. After this shock treatment, everything is back to normal. Solidarity, mutual aid, empathy, nothing was missing. Thanks to the hero who took my backpack.
We had the chance to visit Fort des Rousses. It is a former military fort that housed 35,000 men and their horses. The Arnaud family transformed it into a fruitière, that is to say a cellar, for maturing Comté cheese. Two soldiers and a horse and hop, hop, hop, a “JuraFlore” county wheel. I swear madam, they are too strong the Arnaud family.
We ended the week with a picnic by the Lac des Rousses. Sun, rest, siesta, Swiss chocolate. The total.
We had to refuel, and guess what? A reckless woman wanted to pay off her fuel debt, and we forgot her in the shop. If it weren't for our mental arithmetic acumen, it would still be there!
We walked, climbed, jumped, cavorted a lot, but we also laughed a lot. The Cap France team entertained us with surprise aperitifs of all kinds, and evenings of fun. The tanned even came to ski with us. I swear madam, it was a delirium.
A big thank you to all.
By the way, do you know the story of the banana?
Remember to have it told to you during your next stay!
Michele Sabardeil
Brittany, from May 24 to 31, 2021
One CR per day was requested from volunteers, which constitutes a large volume of text. Consequently, and so as not to duplicate the news bulletin, these texts can be consulted in brochure No. 121. Below is presented only the first text, which presents the trip in a few lines, as well as the photos per day.
They have round hats
It was early in the morning that a group of merry men found themselves in the parking lot of Roissy en Brie. We had all set our GPS for the planned stops: breakfast, picnic, visits. Be aware that this tape is googled. The "googol god" will accompany us throughout our journey. It is in the rain that we arrive on the Crozon peninsula at the Ker Beuz hotel. The welcome is warm and relaxed. It must be said that we are the first group welcomed after the health restrictions due to covid. Aperitifs of all kinds will follow one another: welcome aperitif, surprise, sardinade, birthdays, the troop raises its elbow shamelessly. The rain cape is essential for our first hike, but we are ready to do anything to admire this beautiful region. In front of our determination, even time will abdicate, and the sun will be there from the second day.
For the progression along the Breton coast, everything is planned, a man from head to head, a man from tail to tail. The walkie-talkie is essential because the troop can sometimes stretch for several hundred meters. There are also modern-day heroes who are equipped with sophisticated equipment, to try to take the right path. Some crossroads are mysterious, so the heroes come together, and each in their own way. Some have the laptop grafted onto their left forearm, while others pull it out of a small pouch grafted onto their belt. There are also purists who have the cards tattooed on their chests. Everyone has their formula. Thus between, it is necessary to go straight, to the left, to the right the discussions are animated. Then the troop stops, and we can hear the cries of polecats. The excitement has come to a climax. The heroes discuss, prance, argue, yell, bellow, bawl, quibble, talk, sometimes fart. Eventually everything worked out, and the caterpillar started up again. We continue our progress. As we ascend the human serpentine stretches, and nothing goes. The leading man is in the tail, the trailing man is in the lead, the streamer no longer has either tail or head. It is the most total anarchy. This mess makes the troop happy because after all we are on vacation.
But how beautiful Brittany is with its magnificent and exceptional flowers, its blue or green sea without forgetting sometimes its leaden color. Brittany also has innumerable points: point of the Chèvre, of the Jument, of Dinan, of the Devil, of the Spaniards, of Penhir, points I tell you, points you want some here. In addition to the points, there are of course islands, there are many of them, and we had the privilege of going to Ouessant. The boat we took, to admire this majestic island, and cut to perfection.
A few sailboats, kayaks, fishing boats share this stretch of water. In the villages and along the cliffs chapels, churches, ruins, castles, caves, lighthouses, blockhouses, remind us of more or less distant, more or less forgotten history.
After each ride, it's at the bottom of the blue truck that the party continues, and we have a drink together.
We return to camp very tired, but lucky to have been able to let our imagination wander in front of so much beauty.
After the effort the comfort. It is Olivier the cook/artist who regales us with succulent dishes always skillfully decorated. Meal pancakes, seafood and other Breton specialties are waiting for you.
The carrots are declined in rainbow, the desserts in fireworks, Breton cabbage and beets become a festival. What talent !
After the meals we even pushed the song with Thibault, and we learned during a quiz who was Tenzin Gyatso Lhamo Dhondup!
A big sincere and warm thank you to the organizers of this beautiful stay. You don't change a team that wins so next time for new adventures.
Michele Sabardeil
Saint-Dié des Vosges, from September 20 to 26, 2020
On this Sunday, September 20, we left at 25 for the Vosges, direction Saint-Dié.
Along the way, we visit the town of Baccarat and its crystal museum.
This is located in the former residence of the directors of the crystal factory. We discover a private collection exhibited in four rooms. A video immerses us in the heart of this exceptional craftsmanship. However, it is impossible to visit the crystal factory. We will content ourselves with seeing the factory as well as the homes of the glassmakers.
We stroll through the surrounding shops, and admire the many creations in crystal: vases, cups, chandeliers, jewelry, glasses, etc... Our walk takes us to the Saint Rémy church. Built from 1953 on the old church destroyed in 1944 by an Allied raid, it surprises us with its bell tower erected in a pyramid at 55 meters in height and its stained glass windows made up of 20,000 pieces of Baccarat crystal with more than 50 different colors. It is considered a jewel of modern art.
Nearby, the Flemish-inspired town hall stands proudly not far from the banks of the Meurthe, where we picnicked. We climb up to the church of Deneuvre built on the site of an old fortified castle, and we stroll through the cloister.
Then, we head back to Saint-Dié and its holiday village of La Bolle, where we are staying for a week.
Located at the foot of the Massif de la Madeleine, in a green setting, this village welcomes visitors all year round for sports, tourist and well-being stays.
Half of the Vosges department is covered by forest. It is home to wild fauna and flora as well as preserved historical sites.
During our stay, we hike in turn in the surrounding mountains:
- the Madeleine massif
- the Bure massif, which was occupied by man in the Neolithic era and by the Celts in the Gallo-Roman era. This place dominates the valley of the Meurthe and the Hure.
- the Kemberg massif with beautiful viewpoints from the paragliders and from Roche Saint-Martin
- the Ormont massif, the highest of the massifs overlooking Saint-Dié with its sandstone rocks of the Roche aux Fées and its panorama, the Roche du Sapin sec and its orientation table dated 1891, its the 14/18 war with its many forts, remains of observation posts or shelters and the Roche d'Ormont.
- the Cote de Rely massif with a view of the village of Etival Clairefontaine and its valley
- the lake of Pierre Percée, the largest of the Vosges lakes which covers 304 ha with a circumference of 32 km. The pretty and discreet village of Pierre Percée, very marked by the wars, overlooks it as well as the ruins of a castle built in the Middle Ages.
Relatively mild weather accompanies us for 4 days.
On the other hand, our last hike to Lac Blanc and Lac Noir was cut short due to bad weather (rain, wind, cold) and the dangerous nature of the route.
We replace it at short notice, with a visit to a cheese dairy and a confectionery, with a short detour to Gérardmer.
After our hikes, we relax in the pool or over a drink.
Our meals allow us to enjoy some local and regional products, in a friendly atmosphere.
Our evenings animated by karaoke, a film and games, end our busy days.
This stay allowed us to get out of the ambient gloom, and to enjoy the joys of the outdoors and friendship.
Many thanks to the organizers.
Gigi Saint Mars