Tuesday, August 30, 2022

We are currently (12 o'clock, August 30th) in Le Boréon, and now continue on a detour to Pas des Ladres at 2448 m, so another 1000 m ascent.

(It's possible that we will have little to no network connection in the coming days. Accordingly, entries would be made later or completed.)

Today's route:

Col de Salèse (2031 m) - Le Boréon (1476 m) - Lac de Trécolpas (2187 m) - Pas des Ladres (2448 m) - Refuge de la Madone de Fenestre (1905 m)

Although we have a rain-free night, it's raining for the first time in the morning when we wake up, have breakfast, and pack - a bit cumbersome - and we have to briefly put on our rain jackets.

On the way down to Le Boréon, we encounter mushroom pickers for the first time. (Since Bousiéyas on August 24th, we could have collected hundreds of kilos of mushrooms and always wondered if the French were not familiar with mushrooms.) First, it's a group of seniors consisting of old, white men that we meet and who guide themselves to collecting spots with their mobile phones, and for a moment we also believe to spot our friend among them, as he would have fit in well with them in terms of age, form, and attire, but we are mistaken. Later, we come across almost a hundred collectors with their baskets.

In Le Boréon, we stay a bit longer, are briefly unsure about the continuation of the GR 52, which was destroyed by a major storm two years ago, and have a coffee and a crêpe in a tourist restaurant before moving on around lunchtime. The 1000 meters of altitude are relatively quickly mastered; it is also not as hot as the previous day, and the backpacks have become somewhat lighter. The Lac de Trécolpas is very beautiful, and we linger there for a snack.

From our point of view, the water problem does not seem to be a problem. We did not refill the empty bottles from the previous day. And there are always opportunities to refill them, but two and a half liters are actually enough for us.

The descent to the pilgrimage site of La Madone de Fenestre is impressive in terms of views, and the maintenance of the hiking trails in this part of the Mercantour National Park is equally impressive.

We find accommodation with the French mountaineers for once, but it doesn't have the same vibe as elsewhere. Primarily, this place is actually a pilgrimage site for the Virgin Mary, and that's why we have registered our Mary devotee from Sangallen as a new permanent donor, so that he can get closer to paradise.