The Reykjanes Peninsula gave us some wonderful moments, a few of them absolutely unforgettable! Like descending into the heart of a volcano and a completely unexpected encounter with an arctic fox.

The place in a few words

The Reykjanes Peninsula sits at the southwestern tip of Iceland, and it’s also where you’ll find Keflavik International Airport. This region has been entirely shaped by volcanism: black soil, lava fields, hot springs, and steam vents as far as the eye can see. It’s been Iceland’s most volcanically active zone in recent years, with repeated eruptions since 2021.

Practical information

Flight
We took a direct Nantes–Reykjavik flight with Transavia for €370 round-trip for 2 people, with 1 checked bag — unfortunately, this route has since been discontinued. Check with different airlines to find the best route from your city.

Car
We rented a 4×4 from Lotus Car Rental for €1,100 for 8 days. ⚠️ Rental prices in Iceland are high — expect to pay roughly double what you’d pay in North America for a similar model and rental length.

Accommodations

• Black Beach Guesthouse in Þorlákshöfn — small hotel with self check-in. €97/night, breakfast not included.
• ABC Hotel in Keflavik — a unique stay in a former US military base, ideal for a night before the return flight. €120/night, breakfast not included.
  

The Hot Springs of Gunnuhver

As soon as we picked up the car outside the airport, we headed straight to these hot springs to dive right into this volcanic island. Along the way, the first photo stops of a long list to come had already begun 😉!

A lovely little stop where I got to enjoy geothermal phenomena all over again, complete with that famous rotten-egg smell of sulfur 😉, which I’d loved back at Yellowstone in the US. There’s also a beautiful lighthouse right next door. Plan for about 20 to 30 minutes on site to enjoy it.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

I had booked an excursion with the Inside the Volcano company for a truly unique experience: descending into the heart of a volcano. To get there, you start with a hike through stunning scenery.

Then the guides got us equipped, and finally came the 120-meter descent on an open platform toward the center of the Earth. Pretty intense, honestly 😉… but once we reached the bottom, I simply had no words left. It was an incredibly emotional moment! We had time to walk around the “chamber” and take in the stunning colors of the walls — absolutely extraordinary.

Back at the top, a hot bowl of soup was waiting for us, along with a totally unexpected surprise: a beautiful arctic fox! She’s gotten used to visiting the staff, who named her Mia 😊. It was simply magical watching this adorable little fox play and nap peacefully.
⚠️ Good to know: this excursion is very expensive and can be tough for anyone prone to vertigo or claustrophobia. Plan for a full half-day.

The Seltún Geothermal Area

A truly beautiful geothermal spot — steam vents, gorgeous colors, green rolling hills… a real feast for the senses!

The site can be visited quickly and for free, along a lovely wooden boardwalk trail. A mini Yellowstone 😉, and I really loved it.

The Krýsuvíkurberg Cliffs

We made a little detour to these cliffs in the late evening, which gave us beautiful light and really brought out the red in the rock. It’s known as a great spot for birdwatching, especially puffins, though we were probably a bit too late in the season for that…

Still, we spent a lovely moment there — we had the place to ourselves, and it’s somewhere that really moved me, though I couldn’t quite explain why 😊. About thirty minutes is enough to enjoy the cliffs, unless you stay longer just to take it all in, like we did.
⚠️ Good to know: the last stretch of road to get there (about 3 km) is unpaved and pretty bumpy, so it’s best to have at least an SUV.

Reykjavik, the Little Capital

I usually steer clear of big cities, but given how small Reykjavik actually is, I figured it was the perfect chance to visit a capital, and I wasn’t disappointed! Despite the bad weather, we visited the lovely cathedral, then wandered through the rainbow-colored streets 😊. We found a nice little restaurant and discovered a fun, adorable local habit: shop cats everywhere!

The Famous Blue Lagoon

I’d hesitated a lot about going to the Blue Lagoon, since some reviews described it as too touristy, but we were so glad we went! We were there in the evening after a rainy day, and it was truly relaxing to soak in that super warm, milky-colored water. You can even get a face mask while you’re there — don’t worry, it’s normal if it tingles a bit 😉! Crowds were pretty reasonable, and we really felt like we had our own little bubble.

Be sure to take the short walk outside to enjoy the beautiful colors. That said, no photos from inside the water — too risky for the camera, and honestly, I mostly wanted to just relax. That didn’t stop some people from doing it, though — you just have to keep your phone held well above the water the whole time.

📍 Good to know: plan for 2 to 4 hours on site — there’s no time limit once you’re inside, just a booked entry time slot.

A Volcano in Eruption… Almost

The summer of our trip, a volcano had erupted, but of course, it decided to stop the day before we arrived! So we had to let go of our dream of seeing molten lava… but we still took this incredible opportunity to go see the lava field. The area was well marked, since plenty of people had been hiking there for several days already.

We chose to take a short hike up the hill to take in the sheer scale of the flow, which is actually a mix of several years’ worth of eruptions. Then we made our way down close to the freshest lava, which was still steaming and giving off a very strong smell.

A hike that was anything but ordinary, and one we truly loved! And as is often the case in Iceland, the surrounding scenery was stunning.

📍 Good to know This hike is located in the Nátthagi valley. Since eruptions are frequent in Iceland, I can’t say for sure whether the landscape looks the same today. . Longer hikes of several hours were also possible.

The post Reykjanes Peninsula: In the Heart of Iceland’s Volcanoes first appeared on NaturElfes.

Moorea is an island I found just as stunning on land as it is at sea. It’s where I truly discovered the lush Polynesian jungle, staying right in the heart of it. But above all, it’s here that I lived one of the most beautiful experiences of my life: swimming with humpback whales and — most incredibly — hearing them sing.

The place in a few words

Moorea is an island in the Society archipelago, in French Polynesia, nicknamed “Tahiti’s sister island” — located just 17 km away. Home to around 17,000 inhabitants spread across several coastal villages, it takes its Tahitian name Mo’ore’a from a local legend meaning “yellow lizard”. With its 134 km² and highest peak, Mount Tohiea at 1,207 meters, Moorea offers breathtaking scenery between tropical jungle and lagoon. Its two main bays, Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay, are considered among the most beautiful in the world.

Practical information

Moorea is accessible from Tahiti by ferry — the crossing takes less than 30 minutes and you even have a chance of spotting whales along the way! Budget around €20 per person for a round trip on foot.
To get around the island, renting a car is ideal. The main road is about 60 km long — allow half a day with stops. We rented a car for the duration of our stay, though my friend living in Tahiti got a discounted rate, so it’s hard to give you a price reference. To compare prices, check out Carigami.
One tip: make sure to take out all available insurance, especially windshield and undercarriage coverage. During our stay, my friend unfortunately scraped the bottom of the car door and, having skipped the insurance, ended up paying a hefty repair bill!
For accommodation, the options are wide-ranging — from luxury hotels with overwater bungalows to much more affordable family guesthouses.

📍 Good to know French Polynesia has two seasons: a dry season from May to October and a rainy season from November to April. The dry season is the ideal time to visit Moorea, with less rain and slightly less stifling temperatures. That said, it’s warm all year round!

Exploring the island

We start this island tour at the Opunohu Belvedere, with its stunning view over Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay, then head to the To’atea lookout offering a breathtaking panorama over Temae Beach, the island of Tahiti across the water and the Sofitel’s overwater bungalows.

Next stop, the Sentier des Ancêtres trail to discover the marae, these sacred Polynesian sites, then a stop at the agricultural college to taste and buy their delicious homemade jams. It was also the chance to see my first pineapple fields — quite a sight when you come from mainland France — and I have to say, I have never enjoyed fruit as much as I did in French Polynesia!

We made the most of the beautiful Temae Beach to cool off and go snorkeling — there is a current but nothing too strong.

That’s where I witnessed a wonderful moment: I was watching a shrimp busily redecorating the entrance of its home 😉, when I noticed a small fish standing right in front of it, like a bodyguard, alerting it to the slightest danger. Proud of my “discovery”, I did some research when I got back — and of course, biologists had known about this symbiosis for ages 😄! It’s the pistol shrimp and its goby fish. The shrimp, almost blind, constantly touches the fish with its antennae, while the fish alerts it to danger by moving. In return, the fish gets to live in the shrimp’s burrow. Discovering something like this on your own just by observing nature — it’s simply extraordinary 😍!

We also made a detour to Afareaitu Waterfall — we were lucky, it had rained and the waterfall was clearly visible, surrounded by absolutely stunning vegetation.

Along the way, we also discovered pretty colorful churches, an enormous banyan tree that made me feel absolutely tiny 😉, and had lunch in a paradise setting.

To finish, we visited the sea turtle clinic run by the association Te Mana O Te Moana, located in the lagoon of the Intercontinental Moorea Resort & Spa hotel — which has permanently closed since Covid, though the clinic seems to still be operating there. The hotel also had two dolphins in captivity that visitors could swim with. Personally, I found it heartbreaking to see them in their pool just meters from the open ocean…

A little side note: we had some difficulty finding the tourist sites as signage was scarce on the island, but the Polynesian locals always pointed us in the right direction with great warmth and kindness 😊!

The magical encounter

That day will stay etched in my memory forever. We had booked a trip with Dolphins and Whales Watching Expedition to see humpback whales and, if we were lucky, swim with them. The sea was rough, and we’d already made peace with “just” watching from the boat… but in the end, we got to jump in the water. And that’s when I heard the most extraordinary, completely unexpected sound: whale song! Then two shapes rose up from the deep blue and swam right past me — a mother and her calf. A moment that was thrilling, a little nerve-wracking, and absolutely overwhelming.
👉 I shared this whale encounter in full detail in my article on whales.

After that, they took us to the well-known spot for stingrays and blacktip reef sharks to swim with them. My first encounter with sharks — truly impressive and extraordinary! However, I hadn’t realized the company practiced feeding (meaning they hand-feed the animals), which I wasn’t a fan of. As a result the rays interacted a lot with us and one of them even gave me a little “kiss” with its wing 😊!

That day also gave us the chance to admire a beautiful brown booby and a few common mynas 😊. Overall, I felt this company wasn’t necessarily the best choice — on top of the feeding, I found them quite lax when it came to safety during the whale swim.

The Three Coconuts Pass: a hike through the heart of the jungle

That day, we set aside the water to explore the interior of the island. We chose the Three Coconuts Pass hike, which starts from the stunning Opunohu Belvedere. A beautiful hike right through the heart of the Polynesian jungle, with absolutely breathtaking vegetation.

The trail winds through roots, crosses a bamboo grove, passes majestic trees like the Polynesian chestnut and reveals beautiful wildflowers including wild orchids. And at the top, a breathtaking 360° panoramic view awaits!

The hike is 4.3 km round trip with 198 m of elevation gain — allow 2 to 3 hours. There is some uphill but what really makes it challenging is the heat and especially the humidity. Bring plenty of water and start early! Keep an eye on the weather — if it has been raining, check the water levels in the streams before setting off.

The lagoon all to ourselves

For this day, we really treated ourselves by booking a private tour with Mermaid Private Boat Tour. It’s run by two young people, Luna (Dutch) and Clément (French), and I recommend them 100%! They are wonderful and deeply respectful of nature. Luna got in the water with us — it genuinely felt like swimming with a friend — and she took stunning photos.

We set off very early at 7am to have all the spots to ourselves and above all to maximize our chances of spotting dolphins, who also appreciate the calm of the morning. Mission accomplished — the dolphins showed up quickly and came to play with the boat! With such a small vessel, we were incredibly close to them, an absolutely… OLALA moment 😍! My personal synonym for wow 😉, born during my first snorkeling session in Bora Bora and never leaving me for the rest of the trip in French Polynesia!

Then we sailed across the lagoon, which was so incredibly clear we could see the fish as if we were already in the water. That’s actually how we spotted two sea turtles — a green one and a hawksbill — what more could you ask for 😊?

Then off to the coral garden — a place so beautiful I couldn’t stop gasping in amazement into my mask 😊!

We also headed back to the stingray and shark spot, but this time with no animal feeding whatsoever — something I truly appreciated!

The great thing about a private tour is that you can customize it — I had asked if we could visit the underwater Tiki sculptures. So we got to enjoy this unique underwater art, once again all to ourselves… well, almost — we had the company of a beautiful cowfish, apparently quite the art lover himself 😉.

End of our stay on this magnificent island — next stop Fakarava, the final chapter of this Polynesian journey, and certainly not the least!

The post Moorea: between jungle and unforgettable moments at sea first appeared on NaturElfes.

Bora Bora, just the name makes you dream! It was my first island after arriving in Tahiti, and it’s where I discovered for the first time the beauty of tropical underwater life: corals, colorful fish, rays… I’ll be honest: it’s not the island that moved me the most. The starving stray dogs touched me deeply, and the island tour left me a little wanting… But the lagoon with its extraordinary color, which you appreciate from the moment you arrive — the airport itself being set in a paradise — is truly worth it!

The place in a few words

Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward Islands archipelago, in French Polynesia, with around 10,500 inhabitants. It is world-famous for its lagoon with exceptional colors, considered one of the most beautiful in the world. The island is dominated by Mount Otemanu, an ancient volcano rising 727 meters and offering a spectacular setting. Before leaving, I was a little worried about the “very touristy” side of the island, but in fact the large hotels are located on the motus, those small islets surrounding the lagoon, and you end up with an island far more peaceful than you might have imagined.

Practical information

Discovering tropical underwater life

I had booked a half-day excursion on the lagoon with the company Reef Discovery. Captain William was so kind, like the vast majority of Polynesians 😊. There were 5 of us on the boat and he took us to the different spots before the other boats arrived.

Our first stop was to try and spot manta rays, and we got lucky enough to see one… OLALA 😍! That’s actually when this expression was born, one that stuck with me for the entire trip, my go-to word for “wow.” Let’s just say I said it thousands of times over those 15 days in Polynesia 😉! 👉 Check out my articles on Fakarava and Moorea, where I had other unforgettable marine encounters.

Then on to the coral garden, where I experienced my first encounter with real tropical corals — pure joy!

Then came the eagle rays — we were lucky enough to see dozens of them… it was like watching dancers. They formed a true underwater flying ballet, just breathtaking.

And to finish, one last snorkeling stop to enjoy this incredible lagoon a little longer. However, caught up in the euphoria of the day, we completely forgot about the sun… and we paid for it for several days 😉! From then on, the rash guard became our best friend for the rest of our swims!

The “big” island tour

Bora Bora is small — the “big island tour” is easily done in a day! We rented a tiny car and made the most of this mini road trip to discover the magnificent Banyan Tree, a giant sacred tree that is said to have inspired James Cameron for the Tree of Souls in Avatar, as well as a marae, a remnant of the ancient sacred sites of Polynesian culture.

We also took the opportunity to stroll through town, where several locals were selling fruits from their gardens by the roadside: mangoes, divine pineapples… an absolute treat, and we couldn’t help dreaming in front of the overwater bungalows 😉.

Continuing our walk, we came across three elderly Polynesian men playing music on a pavement. They sat us down, put flower leis around our necks and treated us to a private concert 😊! One of them, Michel, even proposed to me 😄! A wonderful moment, truly representative of the warmth and simplicity of Polynesian people.

And to finish, a short hike up to the American cannons. These cannons were installed by the Americans during World War II (between 1942 and 1946), who had turned Bora Bora into a strategic military base in the heart of the Pacific. Fortunately the island was never attacked, but 8 cannons are still visible today. The walk starts from the village of Faanui, covers about 2 km return and is easily accessible. It also offers a lovely view over the lagoon and the peaks of Otemanu and Pahia, especially on a clear day 😊!

The Bora Bora lagoon in pictures…

Because some things are better contemplated than described, here are a few photos of this magical lagoon and its endless shades of blue.

The post Bora Bora: the lagoon and its shades of blue first appeared on NaturElfes.

Fakarava was my greatest love story in Polynesia! A lost atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where life is stripped down to the bare minimum… and that’s exactly what makes it so magical. An incredibly rich underwater world, sharks everywhere, lagoons in breathtaking colors, magnificent sunsets…

The place in a few words

Fakarava is the second largest atoll in French Polynesia, stretching 60 km long and 25 km wide. Listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it is home to one of the greatest marine biodiversities in the Pacific. The atoll is famous for its two passes, the North Pass (Garuae) and the South Pass (Tumakohua), considered among the best diving and snorkeling spots in the world, particularly for shark watching.

Unlike the other islands of French Polynesia, there is no relief here, no lush vegetation — just a thin strip of land sitting on the ocean with the bare minimum: no school beyond primary level, a doctor who visits every six months… Here, life is simple and that’s exactly what I loved about it. No stress, no schedules, just the sun, the water and the fish 😊.

Practical information

South Pass: pink sands, sharks and drift snorkeling

The South Pass excursion was one of the many highlights of this trip. First you have to reach the South Pass, which is quite far, but you get to enjoy the scenery and the flying fish along the way 😊.

First snorkeling stop by the village of Tetamanu. Sharks and fish everywhere, including a magnificent Napoleon fish with its protractile mouth that caught us completely off guard — like a before and after botox 😄!
!

Then it was off to the pink sand… and that’s when it hit me! Like something out of a movie, we found ourselves completely alone on this tiny motu with unbelievable colors: the pink of the sand, the blue of the water… A moment that was absolutely… OLALA! My go-to word for “wow,” born during my very first snorkeling session in Bora Bora, and one that stuck with me for the rest of the trip through Polynesia!

Well, not entirely alone — an army of giant hermit crabs was busy devouring coconuts. A truly paradise spot!

After that, back to the village of Tetamanu, where our captains prepared a lovely meal in the shade of the trees. A dog kept us well entertained: sitting in the water, I was worried about the sharks circling around him — until I realised the hunter wasn’t who I thought it was 😄! After lunch, we explored the village and its beautiful little church.

Then came the drift snorkeling. It was my first time and it was a little unsettling at first to feel yourself carried away by the current… but you quickly get a taste for it!

The day wasn’t over yet — we did another drift snorkeling, this time above hundreds of grey reef sharks and whitetips 😍. They were really deep down but it was a magical moment, hard to put into words: the speed of the current, the seabed rushing past beneath us… one of the best moments of the whole trip. Back on the boat, our captains suggested doing it a second time and strangely enough, everyone was up for it 😉!

North Pass: colorful lagoons, dolphins and little scares

Second excursion, this time to the North Pass. First stop at the bird island where we enjoyed a wonderful snorkeling session.

Then off to the green lagoon for a coconut break. Imagine sipping a freshly cut coconut on a tiny isolated islet in the middle of the ocean… 😊.

Next stop, the magnificent blue lagoon. To get there we first walked through crystal clear water, then through coconut palms before reaching the edge of a lagoon with unreal colors 😍. Our captain warned us that there would be less to see here compared to the previous snorkeling spot… sure 😉!

I was alone, drifting away from the group, admiring the fish when suddenly a shark of about 3 meters swam right past me. Let’s just say I wasn’t feeling my bravest 😱! I swam back to shore and the captain explained it was a nurse shark, a species completely harmless to humans — so I went straight back in to admire it!

After all those thrills, we headed to another spot for more snorkeling and this time it was my friend who got a little scare when a titan triggerfish attacked her. I didn’t take it too seriously at the time, but it was only when I got back to France that I discovered it’s a fish equipped with very impressive teeth, well known for being the nightmare of divers!

To finish, our captains gave us a wonderful surprise by taking us to see a group of dolphins. And they decided to play with the boat — what more could you ask for 😊! 👉 A scene that reminded me of my Mermaid Boat Tours excursion in Moorea,

At Fakarava’s pace: cycling, massage and marine life

We rented bikes from the guesthouse and headed off to the village of Rotoava. Traffic was the least of our worries 😉 unlike the heat! A little shower was more than welcome.

Next stop, Coco Massage at Havaiki Lodge for a one-hour Polynesian coconut massage. One of the best massages I have ever had! The lodge is also home to the Snack du Requin Dormeur, where you can eat with your feet in the water with a very good chance of having a shark wandering between the tables!

Back at the guesthouse, we were treated to a magnificent show from nature: two nurse sharks swimming in just a few centimeters of water under the pontoon, trying to flush a grouper out of its hole 😊.

For lunch, the guesthouse took us to a local snack bar. When we worried about getting back, they answered with the most natural simplicity: “when you’re done, the snack bar calls us and we come” 😊! That’s how the whole stay worked — no stress, no schedules, just life at its most simple.

The afternoon was spent alternating between rest and snorkeling. We had incredible marine life just steps from the bungalow. It is very easy to spend hours in the water given all the species living there: a multitude of colorful fish, sharks, titan triggerfish, moray eels…

To end the day, we headed out on the guesthouse canoes to admire the sunset over the lagoon and watch the usual evening ritual: the blacktip reef shark fin prowling the surface of the water 😉.

The post Fakarava: a paradise on Earth first appeared on NaturElfes.

During a nature road trip in Florida, we had planned a stop at Myakka River State Park. What was meant to be just a quick stop… became our absolute favourite place in Florida, for its incredible wildlife and wild landscapes!

The place in a few words

Myakka River State Park is one of the oldest and largest nature parks in Florida, covering 150 km² of preserved wilderness. The Myakka River, the first river designated as both Wild and Scenic by the State of Florida, winds through a remarkably diverse landscape: wild prairies, wetlands, palm and oak forests, and pine flatwoods. A true wildlife sanctuary, far from the touristy Florida most people know.

Practical information

The park is open daily from 8am until sunset. Entry is $6 per vehicle. It offers a wide range of activities: hiking, cycling, kayaking, canoeing and boat tours… Several campgrounds are available — check the park’s official website for more information.
📍 Good to know: Florida summers are very hot and humid — the ideal time to visit the park is from October to April.

Surprise Safari in Florida

Our safari began right at the first stop by the bridge over the Myakka River, a spot well known for its many alligators. And indeed, the place is literally crawling with crocs 😄! It’s impressive to see so many alligators in this vast river — I imagine some African landscapes must look similar, with even bigger crocs 😉.

Continuing along the park’s beautiful road, we made a second stop at Fisherman’s Circle, a spot where it’s easy to observe alligators up close. We spent a long time sitting by the water’s edge — at a safe height 😉 — just watching them.

We even got to see one up very close, as some tourists had been feeding it — which is strictly forbidden…

We then went on a rather unique hike combining two trails: the Canopy Walkway Nature Trail and the William S. Boylston Nature Trail.

A short 1.5 km loop that leads to a tower taking you up to the treetops — the walkway is suspended more than 7 metres above the ground and stretches 30 metres through the canopy.

Needless to say, we absolutely loved this hike — the vegetation in Florida is exceptional, so wonderfully exotic to us, and being able to rise above it all was just magical. And just like the rest of the park, we barely crossed paths with anyone.

We then continued along the road, taking in the diversity of the landscapes: river, lake, forest, prairie… After a stop at the marina and a stroll along the Birdwalk boardwalk to watch the birds, we decided to head back down the road.

And that’s when the real safari began 😉: deer, raccoons feeding in the prairie, squirrels, alligators, vultures, turkeys, cranes… and then the highlight of the show when a family of two-toned wild boars 😊 came charging in front of the car! Baby piglets in black and russet everywhere 😍.

To finish, we followed a short trail near the bridge down to the edge of the Myakka River. We had a picnic watching the sun set over the alligators and a heron that wasn’t quite cut out for fishing 😄.

For all these reasons, this park was our favourite of the trip — in just 6 hours we saw an incredible amount of wildlife, the landscapes are stunning and I rediscovered that wild feeling of the American West. If we were to do it again, we’d spend at least 2 days there, with time to camp, take a boat tour and explore more of the trails.

The post Myakka River: Florida’s Unexpected Safari first appeared on NaturElfes.

It was during a small van road trip in northern Spain, discovering the Bardenas, that we stopped here. What was meant to be just a quick fun stop… turned out to be an absolute highlight, which even surpassed the Bardenas themselves! Welcome to the enchanted forest.

The place in a few words

The Nacedero del Urederra is a nature reserve located in Navarre, in northern Spain, in the heart of the Urbasa-Andía Natural Park. Nicknamed “El Paraíso del Agua” — the Paradise of Water — it owes its name to the resurgence of the río Urederra, whose waters reappear at the surface after filtering through the Urbasa limestone massif. What makes this place truly unique is the colour of the water. A turquoise blue of an unreal intensity, which contrasts beautifully with the green of the beech forest and, in autumn, with the golden hues of the foliage.

Practical information

The hike starts from the village of Baquedano. Paid parking is mandatory and only accessible to those who have booked in advance. Parking in the village is prohibited. The price is 5 euros per car. Booking is done online — note that access is limited to 500 people per day, and spots fill up quickly, especially on weekends and holidays.

📍 Good to know: the final section of the trail has been closed since 2019 for environmental protection reasons. The hike is therefore 6 km instead of the original 7 km — allow around 2.5 hours. Swimming in the nature reserve is prohibited.

A walk in fairyland

We arrived at the parking lot early in the morning, with only 2-3 cars there. We started by crossing the pretty little village, still fast asleep, before entering the forest. The autumn colours were already stunning, and a lovely view of the cliffs, with birds of prey soaring above them, accompanied us right from the start.

Then we reached the first viewpoint over the river… and honestly, we were left speechless. A beautiful waterfall in an incredible setting!

Since I hadn’t really looked into the hike beforehand, I thought this was the only viewpoint and that we’d be turning back after that. So it was with complete surprise that we carried on, discovering one wonder after another.

The hike is fabulous because it follows the river the whole way, and the scenery keeps changing. You move through a landscape that feels almost unreal, straight out of some imaginary land: the white tufa rock, the intensely blue — sometimes crystal-clear — water, the waterfalls, the red leaves, the golden trees… It’s truly magical 😍.

And the forest, with its majestic trees, adds so much to the magic of the place.

Once we reached the end of the trail, we had to turn back, and we got to enjoy the scenery again from the other direction! Having the place almost to ourselves for three-quarters of the hike really added to that feeling of being elsewhere, in another world 😊.
If you love nature destinations in autumn, here is another idea: Autumn colours in Switzerland.

The post Urederra: Navarre’s hidden gem first appeared on NaturElfes.

Like every year, we felt the urge (and the need) to go on a trek. After our first experience with a “long-distance” hike on the Itinérêve trail in Dordogne, we were eager to try something similar again. That’s how I came across the Saint-Guilhem Trail — a 149-mile route between Aumont-Aubrac and Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. It looked lightly traveled and passed through beautiful, varied landscapes.
After doing some research, I started planning our route, fully aware there would probably be some surprises or changes along the way — as is always the case with trekking — and luckily, there were !

Before the Trek

Even though a trek involves a lot of unexpected situations, it requires thorough preparation beforehand, especially when you are bivouacking and carrying a heavy pack! For this, I visited the trail’s official website and bought the Topo-Guides book from FFRandonnée. These books are well put together but have one major drawback — they do not provide elevation data, which is hugely important for estimating the difficulty of the trek and planning your stages accordingly. I therefore add this information myself, using online GPS tracks most of the time.

Green: variant taken — Yellow: possible variant

From there, I had to try to map out the stages to get an idea of how many days it would take, and therefore how much food we’d need and where we could resupply. It also helped to identify potential camping spots—especially since water can be scarce on this trail—and locate accommodations. Thanks to the Géonautrices website, I knew that camping wouldn’t be easy on this route due to limited water sources and tricky terrain (fences, rocks, etc.). So, I marked some municipal campgrounds and a mountain hut to keep things as simple as possible.
Halfway through, I planned a rest day as a reward and to recover just a short 9.3 miles walk and a night in a hotel !

Once the stages were roughly planned, all that was left was to prepare the food and pack the bagwhere everything was carefully weighed ! It might sound over the top, but after your first trek (and often the first mistake of carrying a pack that’s too heavy), you quickly realize that weight is one of the most important factors. With experience, we’ve equipped ourselves (and continue to do so) with quality, lightweight gear, check the practical info section for a detailed list.
So, we set off on June 23rd, aiming to arrive by July 3rd, 2023, to avoid the summer crowds and intense heat (which didn’t quite work out on the heat part ).

Day 1: Aumont-Aubrac – Cascade du Déroc

First day, first change ! We had planned to start the trek the evening before, after the drive, with about six miles to cover, but at the last minute, the weather forecast called for a big storm and heavy rain. So, we arrived the day before as planned but stayed at the Hôtel des Prunières in Aumont-Aubrac.
The next morning, after a good breakfast and surprised to see so many hikers passing by (the beginning of this trek shares the same route as the Camino de Santiago), we caught up on the miles we missed the day before by taking a shuttle arranged for the Camino hikers. It dropped us off at a spot called Les 4 Chemins, letting us skip about 5 miles.

So we set off immediately feeling all the familiar sensations of carrying a heavy backpack, 13 kg for me and 15 kg for my partner. The relationship with your backpack on a trek is a bit like a rollercoaster between love and hate ! It is our home, we know it inside and out, everything has its place, and without it, we have nothing. At the same time, it is our biggest burden. But honestly, even though we are happy to take it off whenever we can, we really do love it because it becomes a true companion and you have to admit, today’s backpacks are pretty well made.

We started on a beautiful trail surrounded by flowers and cows ! I was amazed by the sheer number and variety of flowers, and little did I know this was just a preview of what was to come. For our lunch break, we aimed for the Marchastel bridge hoping to dip our feet in the water, but unfortunately, the river wasn’t accessible.

A little side note: over time, we noticed there’s nothing better than dipping our feet in cool water during breaks to almost reset them . So we settled down halfway along the trail next to some cows. Our first picnic with our supplies: bread, saucisson, cheese, and chips!

After a short break (compared to the ones on the following days ), we set off again and took a beautiful trail that gained us some elevation amid the Aubrac plateaus.

After 3 miles without any difficulties, we arrived in Nasbinals. There, we decided to leave the Saint-Guilhem trail and take the Urbain V route instead. This choice was motivated by two reasons: first, it saved us about 9.3 miles, and second, it would allow us to see the Déroc waterfall.

Since the beginning of the trek follows the Camino de Santiago, we had come across quite a few hikers, but from that point on, the trail became much wilder. We hesitated for a while about setting up our tent at the edge of a field before the waterfall, but in the end, we decided to push on and reach it.

The waterfall is truly beautiful. The trail leading down is a bit rough, but once you get to the bottom, it is stunning. A small meadow, the river, and you can walk right up to the base of the falls where there are some really pretty rock formations. So we decided to camp here for the night, and since it was still early, we waited until nightfall to set up the tent.

In the meantime, we enjoyed the river water and had our first freeze-dried dinners of the trip: spaghetti Bolognese for both of us. All the info about food can be found in the Practical Info section.

Summary of the day: first mile, cows, flowers, a waterfall, and our first wild camp. 5h40 of hiking (2h30 of breaks), 12.1 miles, 1,076 ft elevation gain / 1,004 ft descent.

Day 2 Cascade du Déroc – Bois des Salces

First wake-up and first rough night . As usual, it is hard to sleep well in a tent, especially in the first few days, and we had not expected how loud it would be sleeping near a waterfall. During the day, you do not hear the sound the same way. We packed up the tent quickly at sunrise, since that is the rule for wild camping, and had breakfast on a rock: tea, peach-flavored energy drink instead of juice, BelVitas, and freeze-dried scrambled eggs. Then we threw the beast back on our backs and let’s go. The first few miles were on pavement, tough on the feet, but luckily it was a quiet little country road.

Then we took a trail, and after passing a cattle gate, we arrived in a beautiful landscape of endless meadows, with lovely cows and their handsome Mr. Bull .

A beautiful trail through vast green landscapes, a true feeling of freedom! Just like the day before, the sun was shining, but since the wind was quite strong, we didn’t realize we were getting sunburned !

We left the fields and embarked on a long, very long 8km road section. We found the Chemin de Saint-Guilhem again near a beautiful peat bog and continued along the road, where we stopped for our morning break (seed packets, energy bars…).

After letting a runaway cow pass we finally turned onto a trail that once again led us through wide open meadows.

We took our lunch break there, by a small stream where our poor tired feet could rest, and we were able to dry the tent that was damp from the morning dew. The only downside was that there was no shade, so we wrapped ourselves up from head to toe with whatever we had . We also met our first fellow hiker of the day, who was carrying a tent as well.

After the break, we continued through the meadows until we reached the well-known Rajas refuge. It’s a lovely stone house set in the middle of nature, where you can spend the night. It’s a common stop for hikers on the Saint Guilhem Trail, but we still had a few more miles to go, so we aimed for the forest up ahead to find a spot for our bivouac.

Before entering the woods, we had a big snack break in the shade, then set off again for the last hour of the walk. On the way, we met an adorable orvet, and then looked for a place to pitch our tent. I had hoped to find a stream with what I’d seen on Google maps, but unfortunately there was nothing. It’s a good thing we’d filled up in a stream beforehand, because water runs out very quickly in a bivouac, between evening and morning meals.

We like to stop our hiking days not too late so we can calmly set up our camp and simply enjoy being in nature. We found a quiet little spot at the edge of a field and like most of the time we dozed off for a bit especially since I hit a big slump that my partner helped me get through by making his magic potion an electrolyte drink . It was the first time we brought some and it was a great idea.
After our evening meal in a pine forest, we went to bed. A roe deer barked good night .

Summary of the day: more cows, the beautiful Aubrac plains, a slow worm, and a great bivouac. 5h40 of hiking (2h of breaks), 13 miles, 1,410 ft elevation gain / 882 ft descent.

Day 3 Les Salces – Banassac

The second night was a bit complicated, as we were awakened by music, no doubt from a fiesta at the little restaurant we came across before entering the woods, and my partner was also bothered by a clod of earth too large to fit under his mattress. By the time we had eaten and tidied up, we took off a little late at 8 a.m. and continued the previous day’s route through the woods. We enjoyed this shaded section, as the sun was already beating down, and we came across our first rabbit .

We had one goal for the day: reach Saint-Germain-du-Teil before noon to stock up for lunch, as the convenience store closed at midday. With a set time to cover the 10.5 km separating us from our “lunch”, we kept our breaks short — and I ended up running on empty just before the finish. Especially with the heat, which would become our worst enemy on this trek! Finally, after a little mix-up just a few meters from the end (always more fun that way), we arrived 20 minutes before closing at the 8 à 8, where we ran into our fellow hiker from the day before.

We had originally planned to do our shopping and head straight back out, but that was before we discovered the perfect lunch spot . In the middle of the village, we spotted a magnificent picnic table in the shade of a beautiful tree — and the cherry on top: public toilets and fresh water. The temptation was too great — happiness is very simple on a trek!

So we were able to raid the convenience store knowing we’d only have to carry our food a few meters! We enjoyed bread, ham, tabbouleh, fruit, and pastries! After that good meal, we set up our mattress in the grass, rested, and that’s how three hours went by! I have to say we also wanted to avoid leaving in the blazing sun (a good excuse ).

In the end we had to motivate ourselves to keep going because we still had about 5.6 miles to cover before the end of the day and this time it was at a campground. Needless to say the second part was really tough with the heat! We faced a pretty discouraging climb right after leaving Saint-Germain and then crossed some fields.

We had another happy moment when we came across water flowing right in the middle of the path. I was so hot that I lay down in it . We crossed a small hamlet then took a trail along a field where we had our last break under a tree.

Just afterwards, we came across a couple who were doing the Tour des Monts d’Aubrac trek and who were also staying at the campground. They had just come from there and told us we were almost there… Then, as we got tired, we couldn’t decide whether to follow the signs or the GPS track on our phone. We ended up walking along a rather dangerous secondary road in the heat of the day, not knowing if we’d be able to get to the campsite by that road. Typically the kind of moment on a trek when you wonder what you’re doing there and your nerves are put to the test! We finally arrived at the La Mothe campground in Banassac, exhausted but happy! We were able to pitch our tent on a lovely, spacious spot by the river. This campground was memorable for us because of its owners, the highlight being the swimming pool where they told us: “we’re not sure about the chlorine, but go ahead and if your hair turns orange, get out” !!! We’re still laughing about it today, but in the end we didn’t try the pool, as we were already pretty sunburnt , but we did enjoy our first shower!

It was also the chance for our first pleasant chats with the couple of hikers we met earlier as well as two friendly gentlemen who were crossing part of France but by bike. I really enjoy these kinds of encounters where we only talk about our experiences the special magic of these adventures and share tips about gear or other things. A beautiful way to end the day!

Summary of the day: a resupply, a dream lunch spot, a scorching sun, unforgettable campground hosts, and a shower. 5h30 of hiking (4h of breaks), 12.7 miles, 738 feet elevation gain / 6608 feet descent.

Day 4 Banassac – Champerboux

he start of the fourth day came after a good night’s sleep at least on my side because my hiking partner had a little problem with his mattress deflating in the middle of the night a valve left slightly open (we’re still trying to find the culprit ). Our morning goal was to be at the opening of the convenience store in La Canourgue two miles from Banassac. Once again we took a bit too long and left late. The section between the two villages isn’t the most pleasant since you follow the road the whole time. When we arrived in La Canourgue a very pretty village, a small disappointment the store was closed. Luckily after wandering for a few minutes we smelled some fresh pastries and found a bakery. After buying enough for a second breakfast and lunch we got back on the road.

Leaving the village a tough climb awaited us and it was definitely one of the hardest parts of this trek for me. Luckily there were lots of flowers along the trail to give me a boost. Sometimes it is hard to explain why some sections feel so difficult while others which are more demanding in theory go more smoothly. It is certainly a combination of several factors fatigue morale the weather and so on.

Then the trail became easier and we took a break in a pretty flower-filled clearing. That’s when three women passed by and we met our first fellow hikers on the Saint-Guilhem trail. After chatting a bit we realized we would be sleeping at the same place.

Then we continued calmly, alternating between trails and short stretches on small roads.

After lunch on a pretty stone table set in the woods, we started looking for water. We hadn’t seen any anywhere until then.

We were pinning all our hopes on the hamlet of Gazy but found nothing. With no other choice, we decided to knock on a house door to ask for water. It’s important to know that we are quite flexible when it comes to water because we have filtered bottles that allow us to refill from streams, rivers, and so on. But on this GR trail it is indeed sometimes difficult to find water especially for hikers who need water that is directly drinkable.

After refilling we hit the road again. We ran into our three fellow hikers several times, discovered our first beautiful “angel’s hair” plants and mostly played with the sun. The sun was beating down so hard that on one stretch of road we stopped at every little patch of tree shade about every 330 feet !

About 2.5 miles from the finish we took a long break in the forest lying right on the path surrounded by beautiful flowers and friendly butterflies that fell in love with my boyfriend !

Our three fellow hikers passed us at that moment, telling us they had thought from afar that we were a dead animal and a bird . We never figured out which one of us was the dead animal ! As often happens, the last miles were really tough and we arrived at the hostel completely wiped out.

The hikers were already there and Sophie, the owner of the hostel, showed us our room. Luckily we didn’t have to share it. We would have been embarrassed if other people had arrived, given the smell coming from all our stuff !

We were absolutely thrilled about this first night indoors — being able to wash, sleep in a proper bed and not have to pitch the tent. We made the most of the kitchen and the supplies kindly provided by Sophie, including some lovely honey. We did a little laundry, played Connect Four, watched a magnificent sunset and had dinner with our fellow hikers. We learned that they were former school friends and that every year they went on a trek together while their motorcyclist husbands headed off on a motorbike trip!

Summary of the day: a brutal climb, flowers, dolmens, blazing sun, three fellow hikers, a beautiful sunset, a night in a guesthouse. 6h30 of hiking (2h30 of breaks), 15.5 miles, 2,257 feet elevation gain / 919 feet descent.

Day 5 Champerboux – Hures

After a good night’s sleep in a real bed and a great breakfast with Sophie’s homemade bread and jam, we set off valiantly… but that wasn’t counting on forgetting my sunglasses ! Fortunately, I realized it after a 5-minute walk and my darling was kind enough to go back and get them.

After this false start, we set off downhill for 4,7 miles to the magnificent village of Saint-Enimie. We spent the next 2 hours overtaking our co-randonneurs all the way to the village.

The last descent is made with a beautiful view of the village, before arriving in its pretty streets. We realized how lucky we were to be able to visit this beautiful village virtually on our own.

We made a little stop in the church to perform my ritual, which is to light a candle for my “sky” grandma in every place I travel. I love the idea of a light shining for her all over the world, and it’s also a way of taking her with me wherever I go .

We took advantage of the village to stock up on supplies (pastries, pizzas, quiches, crisps and fruit) and enjoy our morning break with our feet in the Tarn river.

At 10 a.m., we set off again and had to climb everything we’d come down with (1,804 feet of elevation gain over 3.7 miles), but as the climb was mostly in the forest, and therefore protected from the sun, we didn’t suffer particularly. In fact, it was on this day that we started getting up very early, before 6 a.m., to try and get some respite from the heat !

We passed through some magnificent landscapes, all the more so with angel hair! I’ve developed a real passion for these flowers, and had no idea that this was a foretaste of the immense silver fields we were to see the next day on the Causse Méjean!

We took two breaks, including one at 4:30 p.m. lying on the path beside an unfortunate puddle in the woods, playing hide-and-seek with the sun! ! My tendonitis (from my trek on the Itinérêve) was starting to flare up, which was stressing me out a bit, and my darling discovered that the cause of his foot pain was a little anti-theft device hidden under the insole of his shoe – always check it from now on! !

After this break we still had 4,4 miles to go, aiming for the woods after the Buffre to find a bivouac, and before that we had to cross the village of Mas de Val.

It was in this village that we experienced one of our greatest joys of the trek. We hadn’t found any water since Saint Enimie and were beginning to worry. Arriving in this tiny “deserted” village, we miraculously came across a magnificent slate sign with a hand-painted map indicating, among other things, a watering place. We took a closer look at the map and realized that the fountain was right behind us, a moment of pure euphoria the likes of which you can only experience on a trek !

As an added bonus, a picnic table was signposted a few yards away, so we were only too happy to find a good place to rest and decided to change our habits and dine here. So we prepared our own freeze-dried meals, which we enjoyed in a state of total bliss. Many thanks again to the village of Mas de Val for this little gesture that changes everything when you’re walking! We had about 1,9 miles to go, and it was at 8pm that we set off again.

We particularly enjoyed this last hour walking in the calm and cool of the end of the day. It’s my favorite time of day to hike at home, because you can feel time slowing down, everything is calmer, the animals are coming out and there’s this beautiful light with such a special atmosphere. We passed through a pretty forest, a small village already asleep, came across a deer, admired pretty colorful fields and arrived in the woods where we wanted to pitch our tent.

We passed by a lavogne, then the trail climbed steeply into the forest and we realized that it was going to be very difficult to find a flat area.

After an exhausting search, especially for my energetic co-randonneur, we finally found a little spot in the forest below the path, where we could pitch our tent.

Summary of the day: a beautiful village, stunning landscapes, intense heat, a miraculous fountain, an evening hike, a deer, and a final wild camp. 7h30 of hiking (6h of breaks), 15.8 miles, 2,444 feet elevation gain / 2,477 feet descent.

D6 Hures – Meyrueis

As on the previous day, we woke up very early: we had to cross the Causse Méjean and we knew that shade would be scarce. What’s more, it was our long-awaited “rest day” at the hotel, which meant we’d be more than halfway there!! So we started by finishing the previous day’s climb in the woods, and could see that we couldn’t have found a better place to bivouac higher up.

Leaving the woods, we began a descent across the fields to the village of Hures, bathed in the golden light of sunrise.

Future hikers beware: we didn’t find the fountain in Hures, but later learned that there was one next to a house in the village. This is also where you can make a detour to see the wild Przewalski horses. On our way out of the village, we came across a shepherd taking his flock of sheep out, and after cuddling his adorable dog, we realized that the sheep also wanted to be petted , a nice way to start the day. .

We continued on to the village of Drigas, where we were able to refuel at a fountain, and then arrived at what I’d been looking forward to most since the start of the trek, the Causse Méjéan.

Suffice to say, I wasn’t disappointed. I was dazzled by the beauty of the landscape, rolling expanses as far as the eye could see, covered with fields of angel hair, a real sight for sore eyes!

We crossed this landscape, alone in the world, for 5 km and after a short break to enjoy it and observe the vultures, we left the Causse for the last few miles towards Meyrueis.

The rest of the trail was just as beautiful — we walked at altitude with a stunning view over Meyrueis below. That morning was once again rich in wildflowers and orchids, to my great delight — see my article on wild orchids.

Now we had to start the steep descent to the village. During a break in the descent, we came across 2 new hikers from Saint-Guilhem, who caught our attention because one of them had one of her shoes wrapped in plaster. A few days later, we exchanged with her and learned the story of her shoes ! We hadn’t come across any hikers since our 3 fellow hikers in Sainte Enimie the day before. These encounters are important to us because they’re rare, which we appreciate, as they allow us to chat while remaining in our own bubble for the rest of the time.

As usual, it was the last few miles that made us suffer. The sun was beating down hard, and we had “only” 1 mile to go when we saw a Meyrueis 2,2 miles sign. A disaster for our morale, until we realized that it was if we followed the road, the GR taking us via a shortcut. But what a shortcut, a narrow, very steep and uneven path where you have to be vigilant to avoid a sprain. And then, finally, the Holy Grail ! We arrived in Meyrueis just before noon.

With enormous satisfaction, we found a nice riverside restaurant on the terrace and had a good burger and a succulent chocolate mousse for dessert. Just as we were sitting down to dinner, we saw the three hikers who had shared the gite with us arrive, completely exhausted and annoyed. They’d made a mistake which had lengthened their journey and, above all, they still had 7,5 miles to go to finish the day’s stage. They got ahead of us that day and we never saw them again. After lunch, we went straight to the hotel and checked into our super-large room. We took advantage of the bath, did a bit of laundry, had a little nap and headed back to the center of town to do some shopping for the days ahead and, above all, go to the chemist!

Indeed, we were looking forward to Meyrueis to buy sun cream and moisturizer, as the sun had burnt our necks and faces. We also restocked our ibuprofen supply for my tendinitis. I’ll put the contents of our first-aid kit in Practical Info. After that, we went for a nice ice-cream in the restaurant at lunchtime, which we enjoyed with our feet in the water, and then returned to the hotel to enjoy the pool – a real treat !! We ended the day at the same restaurant (three times in one day, a record broken ) and devoured some great pizzas! Food is a subject that comes up a lot, and I’ve noticed that when we tell our stories, we go into unusual detail about everything we buy and eat, the reason being simple: on a trek, you’re hungry, very hungry, all the time !!

Summary of the day: cuddly sheep, the stunning landscapes of the Causse Méjean, a short stage, first restaurant, a hotel, a pool, first ice cream, and some moisturizer .
4h30 of hiking (2h30 of breaks), 9.3 miles, 738 feet elevation gain / 1,755 feet descent.

D7 Meyrueis – Espérou

Waking up after a great night, breakfast wasn’t served until 8am, so we had breakfast in our room with the products we’d bought the day before, and set off a little before 7am. We knew that the day would start with a steep climb, which I was dreading. Against all expectations, I didn’t suffer that much, as the climb was very gradual and through the forest.

We passed the two plaster hikers several times and then crossed the border between Lozère and Gard.
After that, we continued walking through a pine forest and took another morning break at the top, at the level of the planted stone.

After the break, we had 4 miles to go to the lake Bonheur (happiness lake), where we hoped to take our big lunch break. We set off again and just after we saw a sign for Camprieu, decided to follow this path (GR66A on the map) and then saw that we’d left the Chemin de Saint-Guilhem. This was a really great mistake , as we continued to walk along the ridge with great views and avoided a steep descent.

And then, as we reached the first houses, we were delighted to see another sign reading “Bonheur lake 2,9 feet”! Naturally , we opted for this little path, which saved us 1 mile and a stretch of road. We soon arrived at the lake, which couldn’t have been more aptly named!

We spotted a small picnic table tucked away under the trees at the water’s edge, an idyllic spot for our lunch. We didn’t have much food left, so we were still very hungry by the end of the meal, and I started to get a headache. During our break (which lasted 5 h ), we took a little nap, had a little dip in the lake and took the opportunity to check the weather forecast again, which confirmed a risk of thunderstorms for the night. We don’t like sleeping in tents when it’s stormy, so I looked for accommodation at l’Espérou, but without success.

We set off again for the last 4,4 miles, keeping to our original plan of the Espérou municipal campground, and telling ourselves we’d see when we got there. We passed through the pretty Vallée du Bonheur (valley of happiness), and were warned at the farm to beware of the dog Milou. We were lucky not to run into him, but we’d learn later that he’d scared other hikers.

After the valley, we started a steep climb through the woods to reach the Col de la Serreyrède, which was a real struggle, especially as my head was still very sore.

At the top, we got a nice reward when we saw, out of nowhere, a producer’s store. We rushed inside and bought crackers, sausage, madeleines and sat directly on the picnic table in front of the store to have a big snack ! Which actually cured my headache! From there, all we had to do was the notoriously difficult last few kilometers to the Espérou campground.

We loved this huge, almost deserted campground in the middle of nowhere. Thanks to our treks, we’ve developed a real passion for municipal campgrounds ! The manager, a young and very cool guy, came by in the evening to make the payment, and then disaster struck: the stove gave out on us – no more gas in the bottle! We rehydrated our freeze-dried food with hot tap water, waiting to see if we could find a bottle the next day in the only “big” town on the trek.

We went to bed not reassured by the weather forecast, which didn’t stop my darling from falling like a lump ! As for me, I kept an eye on the rising storm and when the lightning became more violent, I woke him up in a panic so that we could go and sleep in the bathroom . At the time, he wasn’t too happy to get up, but he kindly followed me and gave me the greatest gift of all, when he found me a small room with a lock, just big enough to put our two mattresses between the toilet and the shower! This allowed us to have a “little room” all to ourselves, sheltered from the storm, what happiness! After waiting a while for the lights to go out – all we had to do was press a button - we fell asleep, lulled by the torrential rain.

Summary of the day: a new department, a lake of happiness, an empty gas bottle and a night in a toilet. 5h30 of hiking (7h of breaks), 13.7 miles, 2,618 feet elevation gain / 886 feet descent.

D8 Espérou – Avèze

We woke up very early, when the first people turned on the bathroom lights. Despite a difficult night, with a few aches and pains due to the hard ground, we were very happy to be able to get ready under cover of the rain, which was still falling hard. This day was to be typical of the unexpected on a trek ! After eating breakfast in our toilet , we made the difficult decision of taking the bus straight down to Le Vigan. We hesitated a lot, disappointed to be skipping a big part of the stage, but we made this choice for several reasons. First of all, it was a stage with a reputation for difficulty, due to its steep negative gradient, and having weak knees on the descents, I was dreading it! What’s more, it was still raining, we hadn’t slept much and above all we needed time (and energy) to look for a bottle of gas in town. With some hesitation, we headed into the village to wait for the bus.

So tired, we fell asleep quickly and 1 hour later we were in Le Vigan. It was the first “big” town we’d been in for days, the cars, the crowds – in short, a difficult and unpleasant change. We tried a few stores for our gas bottle without success. As we still had 4 days to go without a stove, and mini-markets were going to be scarce, I went shopping to get something to eat for the coming evenings, always with the weight constraint. We decided to eat in a restaurant at lunchtime, but it wasn’t a very pleasant experience; we didn’t feel at all at ease in this town and quickly fled as soon as the meal was over.

Fortunately, the road soon took us back to a very pretty path running alongside the Arre river. With plenty of time to make the 1;9 miles to Avèze (our stage finish), we took several breaks by the water to dry out the tent.

We passed some pretty waterfalls, found a very encouraging signpost and soon arrived in Avèze.

There we found that the municipal campground was indeed, as I’d feared, closed to tents. Which is a pity, because it’s in a good position… Once again, we were reluctant to continue on to the Montardier campground, but it was 4,3 miles away, with a very steep climb, so we decided to stop there, even though we felt our bodies were running out of miles . So we opted for the only option: a nice inn, where we could still sleep in a good bed!

In the evening, we went for dinner at the guinguette we spotted on our way into Avèze, and had a great time! It’s an open-air restaurant, decorated with string lights. We ate very well (sausages/fries and crêpes for dessert), enjoyed a concert by the Absurd Heroes, thought we saw Mr Etchebest (for me it was a look-alike and for my darling it was 100% him, the mystery remains ) and above all, we celebrated our 93 miles!

Summary of the day: a bus ride, a stifling city, a great riverside bar, a concert, and a hostel. 1h30 of hiking, 3.7 miles.

D9 Avèze – Blandas

In the morning, the weather forecast was overcast, so we set off a little later and enjoyed the hostel’s excellent breakfast. At 8:30 am, we set off to tackle the famous climb, described by many as the hardest of the trek (1,312 feet of elevation gain over 1.2 miles).

In the end, it went well, no doubt because we’d prepared for it mentally and, above all, because it wasn’t too hot, thanks to the clouds!

It was at the top, while we were busy observing a caterpillar and dozens of “empty” insects, that we bumped into the two plaster-wearing hikers.

We chatted to them for the first time, two very nice ladies also doing the Saint-Guilhem, and the one with the plaster then explained that she was so happy with her shoes that she didn’t want to change them, hence the plaster to hold the sole, and she showed us her second shoe, the sole of which was hanging on by a thread too ! She also told us they’d probably turn them into flowerpots by the end of the trek. , I thought that was a great idea! They left again, and we went back to observing our “insects”, and after some research we realized that they were the molts left by the cicadas after they’d hatched! It has to be said that we don’t see many cicadas in Charente .

After 4,3 miles, we arrived in Montardier, filled up with water and my darling did some shopping at the mini-market and surprised me by bringing me back a snickers bar, some chocolate, happiness !! After that, we had another 9,3 miles to the Cirque de Navacelles, including 6,5 miles to the village of Blandas.

At the Planas dolmen, you can save 1,2 miles by taking the road straight on to the village, but we preferred to follow the GR.

It’s a good thing it was overcast, otherwise we’d have really struggled without shade! At the end of the slope, before turning off onto a path, we stopped by the roadside for a picnic. The two ladies reappeared at this point, but accompanied by an adorable doggie that I got to drink. They explained that it was a dog that had been following the hikers from Le Vigan, had started out following another group and then switched to them. I was worried about whether he’d find his family again, a matter to be followed …

We resumed on a path that took us through some beautiful countryside, including our first lavender fields, as the Mediterranean drew closer !

We were also dazzled by a magnificent field of poppies!

After these 1,9 miles, we arrived in Blandas, and decided to take a nice break, when we saw a nice shady spot with tables and a fountain. It was here that we made a last-minute change!

A group of three very nice hikers arrived and asked us where the campground was, then a few minutes later another hiker arrived and asked us the same question. That’s when we were tempted to stop our day’s hike and take advantage of this campground too ! The day before, I’d found a place to stay in Navacelles, but we weren’t keen on the idea of sleeping rough for our last few days of the trek. Even though we were going to have to do a big stage the next day, adding the remaining 2,8 miles, we stopped at the Blandas campground.

We met up with all the hikers we’d seen before, all doing the Saint-Guilhem. We also met a lone gentleman who was doing it the other way round. He’d “only” been out for two days, and we talked about where to sleep, the difficulties involved and, above all, where to find water. It was also thanks to him that we decided to take the other route to finish the trek. In fact, at the end of the Saint-Guilhem, there is a choice of 2 trails (see Before the trek). I’d chosen the one via Mas Aubert, but looking at the terrain we were beginning to doubt we’d find a bivouac area. He had just passed through La Vacquerie, and when he told us about the municipal campsite, we immediately changed our plans ! Having made the mistake of not photographing the part of the book concerning this section, I contacted my little sister who sent me the necessary photos!

As we’d stopped our day early and done “only” 10,6 miles, we decided to go and check out the viewpoints over the Cirque de Navacelles, even though we were going to spend the next day there. We figured that without our bags, we’d get a lot more out of it, and we did. So we resumed walking for just over 1,2 miles, but without the bags it felt like flying . We discovered the sublime view of the Cirque de Navacelles, completely on our own, as the large parking lots were completely empty! We were able to make the most of it, taking our time and seeing all the sights, which we certainly wouldn’t have done the next day.

Back at the campsite, with the lack of a stove and hearty food in sight, we booked a table at the only restaurant in the area. We had another great evening, the restaurant was very cute and run by lovely people, we ate very well, drank a little (a good homemade punch and a beer) and had a good laugh !

Summary of the day: dozens of cicada shells, a dog, seven hikers, an improvised campsite, a short hike without backpacks, discovering the magnificent Cirque de Navacelles, and a great restaurant. 5h30 of hiking (3h of breaks), 13.7 miles, 2,093 feet elevation gain / 906 feet descent.

D10 Blandas – La Vacquerie

We got up very early at 4 a.m., in view of the long day’s walking ahead of us (over 15.5 miles) and the forecast heat wave. We quickly arrived at the viewpoint from the day before, and were extremely lucky to see the cirque under a rainbow !

We wasted a little time enjoying the show, and started the unpleasant, steep 1,2 miles descent to the village.

We entered the village, still asleep, and paused to refresh our feet in the river Vis.

We were still very lucky to discover this touristy village on our own.

We quickly got back on the road to tackle the day’s challenge, before the sun got too high. To reach the village of Sant-Maurice-Navacelles, 6,3 miles further on, we first skirted the Vis gorges on a narrow, tiring path, then had a little respite when we came to a wide path alongside the aqueduct, which allowed us to take a break.

Unfortunately, this was short-lived and we tackled the steep hairpin climb out of the gorge.

This was a tough one, as the sun was beating down and we arrived in the village quite tired. Strangely enough, despite the beautiful views over the gorge, we found this stretch rather strenuous, perhaps because of the fatigue.

After taking a break and refueling at the village fountain, we were about to set off again, when I had the good idea of exploring the village and…surprise, an open-air snack bar was open (note that it was a Sunday)! We jumped at the chance, as hunger grew with each passing day, and without a stove we naturally began to take advantage of all the places to eat.

In the little snack bar, we bumped into the lady who was looking for the campground and offered to share our table. We were impressed by this little granny, who was making her way to Saint-Guilhem alone in a tent, also making wild bivouacs, and who seemed to be struggling a lot less than we were ! After an excellent meal of sausages and French fries, she set off again, and we extended our break a little (a lot ) by enjoying an ice cream sitting under a tree, in the company of a cute bunny.

Despite the high temperature, we had to set off again for the 6,2 miles to La Vacquerie. A much easier section than the morning’s, with no major changes in altitude and beautiful scenery.

I had already been amazed for several days by the abundance of butterflies, but that day we experienced a magnificent moment, when we found ourselves walking surrounded by hundreds of them .

The last 2,5 miles, on a very easy path: flat, wide and shaded, were a real nightmare for me! My feet were hurting more and more, and above all I had no energy left at all, as if I were literally drained! So it was in a bad way that we reached the village and collapsed in the campground . A perfect campground for us, set in a large meadow and self-contained. In fact, all we had to do to pay was drop the money in the Town Hall letterbox. We didn’t have enough cash, so we sent them a check when we got back .

We were both exhausted, and we knew we didn’t have much to eat, which didn’t help our morale! It was at this point that another trekking miracle took place . Just a few meters further on, we discovered a lovely little restaurant in the woods just behind the campsite, which was already fully booked, but agreed to take us on. We were more than surprised to find a restaurant open on a Sunday evening in a tiny village just a stone’s throw from the campsite. The mood changed radically and we were delighted to enjoy their delicious toast! It was with nostalgia that we went to bed for our last night in a tent, knowing that tomorrow this incredible adventure would come to an end .

Summary of the day: a rainbow, a steep climb, two restaurants, hundreds of butterflies, a tough end to the day, and a last night in a tent. 7 hours 30 minutes of hiking (4 hours 30 minutes of breaks), 15.8 miles, 2,047 feet elevation gain / 2,156 feet descent.

D11 (END) La Vacquerie – Saint-Guilhem-Le-Désert

Early wake-up call, frugal breakfast to the sound of wild boars having breakfast too ! Departure at 6 a.m. for our very last stage, sniff. First objective of the day, to reach Mont Saint-Baudille, 6,2 miles away, before the sun gets too hot.

We started with a short climb up a lovely path through the lavender fields in the light of the sunrise. It was a day of smells, starting in the morning with the incredible scent of honey coming from the linden trees in bloom, followed by lavender and thyme for the rest of the day – a real treat!

Then we arrived in a whole new, more Mediterranean landscape and even found ourselves walking on sand in a magnificent pine forest.

By 9 a.m., we were at the bottom of Mont Saint-Baudille, where we took a break and a bite to eat before starting the climb.

As my tendinitis was becoming more and more painful, we had to do what we had done on the Dordogne trek and swap shoes. It’s a relief for me, but difficult for my partner who has slightly larger feet, especially as my shoes were much less flexible this time!

After a steep climb of around 1,2 miles, we reached the summit in a magnificent Mediterranean scrub landscape with incredible views and the song of the cicadas! You can even see the Mediterranean from here!

Still hungry, we took another food break , then began the long 2,4 miles descent. First on a rugged path, then on a wider trail, always with spectacular views, especially of the Pic Saint-Loup.

The sun was beating down hard, but we were able to enjoy the shade of the holm oaks. When we reached the road, we had to walk 1 mile with difficulty, under a scorching sun and without any shade.

Then we took advantage of the path through the national forest of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (the end was drawing nearer, yippee) to take a final break, where we devoured all the edibles we had left, which was not much left at all !

We set off again for our last three miles, which were just magnificent. The path was quite shady and we climbed to the pass overlooking the magnificent Infernet cirque, with the village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert below.

After that, all we had to do was descend to the village along the majestic Fenestrettes trail. For this last, truly breathtaking section alone, we were glad we’d chosen this route to end our trek in style.

We let our joy explode when we came across a sign reading “Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert 1 mile”. I took off my shoes at that point, so that my darling could enjoy his arrival with his feet free ! We returned to the village exhausted, but so happy!

The first thing we did was to buy ourselves something to celebrate our arrival, pain au chocolat and cold drinks, then we headed straight to our guesthouse for the evening to take an ice-cold shower, eat our snack and take a little nap, real happiness .

We went out again in the evening, the heat being really stifling, and found a store with some souvenirs for the Saint-Guilhem hikers, ate an ice-cream and above all discovered this magnificent village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. In fact, it was in the church that we met up with our little granny, who had also just finished!

In the evening, we celebrated our journey in a crêperie in the main square, at the foot of the King of the Plane Trees, a splendid tree planted in 1855!

As we set off, we bumped into the group of hikers we’d met in Blandas, and we all debriefed together about the trek, our favorite landscapes, the weight of our packs, etc. That’s also how we got news of the other hikers, how we found out that the dog following the ladies had been reunited with its family and many other anecdotes! We felt very close, even though we knew nothing about each other, but connected by the magic of the trek! It was a lovely moment, and a fitting end to this fabulous adventure!

Summary of the day: the scents of the south, stifling heat, cicadas, a spectacular end to the stage, the village of Saint-Guilhem, and a completed trek. 7 hours of hiking (2 hours 30 minutes of breaks), 15.5 miles, 1,740 feet elevation gain / 3,435 feet descent.

How was the trek?

143 miles, 62 hours of hiking, 18,163 feet elevation gain / 18,083 feet descent, and 4 French departments crossed.

It was a truly wonderful trek, for me the best yet! I loved the variety and beauty of the landscapes, the multitude of flowers, the people I met and the magnificent villages! It was truly magical to start out in the green expanses of Aubrac surrounded by cows and end up in the Mediterranean scrub amidst the cicadas! In terms of difficulty, as you’ll have gathered, it was mainly the heat and lack of water on certain sections that forced us to overload with water.

We haven’t done many “wild” bivouacs either, which we like very much, but the terrain is indeed not often suitable, water is scarce and above all we don’t feel comfortable pitching the tent when we’re not sure we’re allowed to. For the first time, I slept quite well in the tent, and the only advantage of the heat was that we had pleasant nights without having to wrap ourselves in down ! On the health front, my tendinitis flared up and I got my usual blisters . My darling’s feet were quite sore and we burned quite badly for the first few days. On the other hand, our backs and shoulders didn’t really suffer, apart from the “normal” discomfort of carrying a big bag. Food-wise, I think we were a bit short of calories on some days, but on the whole, apart from the incident with the gas bottle, we were happy with the food we took with us and especially with our energy drinks, which really helped. In any case, with every trek, we learn something and improve for the next one!

The return journey was really difficult, as your body gets used to walking so much and you feel a great lack of it for the first few days. But there’s something even harder to miss: the unique feeling of well-being you get on a trek (probably amplified by the dose of endorphins secreted during the effort ). On a trek, all our energy is focused on the essentials: walking, eating, drinking and sleeping. Everything else becomes secondary, and the brain is emptied of thoughts. Barriers come down, shyness disappears, and we realize how much we’re changing – or rather, how much we’re simply becoming ourselves ! We don’t worry about how others look at us, we wash in our underwear in streams, we spread our clothes everywhere, we go into stores badly dressed and not really fresh, and we don’t mind at all !

Practical information

EQUIPMENT

Clothing, bivouac gear, first-aid kit… this is our equipment for this trek. We used almost everything we’d packed, with the fortunate exception of the contents of our emergency kit.

Clothing:

• Waterproof parka
• Waterproof pants
• Warm merino jacket
• 3 merino T-shirts (two for the day and one for the night)
• 2 pairs of pants (one for hiking and one for the night)
• Short
• 3 pairs of socks (two for the day and one for the night)
• 3 panties (two for the day and one for the night)
• 2 bras
• Pair of merino gloves
• Neckband
• Swimsuit
• Cap
• Walking shoes
• Tap shoes

Equipment:

• Backpack + waterproof bag cover
• Walking poles
• Tent
• Sleeping bag
• Pillow
• Headlamp
• Microfiber towel
• Small waterproof bag
• External battery
• Camel bag
• Filtered water bottle
• Stove + saucepan + lighter
• Knife + spoon
  
  

First-aid and emergency kit:

• Medication (paracetamol, ibuprofen, antispasmodic, antibiotics and corticoids)
• Small tubes of creams (burn cream and anti-inflammatory)
• Micropur tablets
• Mosquito repellent
• Sterile saline solution
• Disinfectant
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Dressings
• Ahesive strips and strapping
• Survival blanket
• Tourniquet

Hygiene:

• Toothbrush + toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Biodegradable soap
• Individual wipes
• Moisturizing cream sample
• Microfiber glove
• Cotton buds
• Pocket mirror
• Pampers
• Toilet paper
• Earplugs
• Handkerchief

Miscellaneous:

• Repair kit: thread, needle, safety pin, cord
• Sunglasses
• Garbage bags (one large and two small)
• Cards (identity, bank, etc.), cash
• Pen
• Phone
• Camera and accessories
• Small card game

FOOD

We left with food for 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 8 dinners (freeze-dried food being impossible to find in mini-markets). We each had around 3.5 kg of food at the start.

Morning:

• BelVita-type cakes
• Freeze-dried scrambled eggs or freeze-dried compotes (purchased from Lyophilise & Co)
• Tea
• Real On The Go peach energy drink (also bought on Lyophilise & Co). We love the taste, and it’s easy to prepare.

Lunchtime:

• Grain bread, stored in an airtight bag.
• Hard cheese
• Sausage
• Chips

Breaks:

• Seed packets and dried fruit. We each make our own mix with what we prefer, and it’s clearly what we enjoy eating most during breaks.
• Cereal bars or Ovaltine bars
• Peach energy drink or electrolyte drink

Evening:

• Freeze-dried dishes (purchased from Lyophilise & Co). MX3, Real Turmat and Adventure Menu are the most popular brands. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality: it’s simple to prepare, tasty, very high in calories, and above all very light to carry (around 150 g per bag). We prefer the pasta-based ones.
  The only problem is the price (around €10 per sachet), and you have to be careful: some dishes are really spicy .
• Freeze-dried desserts: on every trek, I take a single bag (weight obliges, sniff ) of freeze-dried chocolate mousse, our little gourmet tradition. We love the Trek’n Eat brand!
  
  

ACCOMMODATION

1st night: Wild bivouac.

2nd night: Wild bivouac.

3rd night: Campground of La Mothe in Banassac-Canilhac
→ Very large campsite, outdated sanitary facilities but perfect for an overnight hike. Free parking. 12 € (payment in cash only, no credit cards)

4th night: Hostel Les Dolmens in Champerboux
→ Hostel for hikers with shared kitchen and communal rooms.
Very warm welcome from Sophie, the owner. Large common room with everything you need, nickel bedroom, and a large garden to relax in. 20 per person (breakfast: €8 per person)

5th night: Wild bivouac.

6th night: Logis Le Mont Aigoual Hotel in Meyrueis
→ Great hotel with large room and pool! Breakfast available. 95 € per night (without breakfast)

7th night: Municipal campground of l’Espérou
→ Very large campsite, self-guided arrival and free placement. 13 € (payment only in cash, no credit card)

8th night: Hostel Cocagne in Avèze
→ Charming inn with very spacious room and excellent breakfast. €72 per night (breakfast: €8.50 per person)

9th night: Campground Le Crom in Blandas
→ Very clean little campsite, pitches a little small but with table. 24 € for two people

10th night: Municipal campground of La-Vacquerie-et-Saint-Martin-de-Castries
→ Camping in a meadow with rudimentary sanitary facilities. Self-catering and free placement. 12 € for two (payment to be deposited in the town hall letterbox)

11th night: Guesthouse of la Tour in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert
→ Nice hostel with large bedroom, self-catering and good breakfast. 85 € per night (breakfast: 10 € per person)

PARKING AND SHUTTLE

We arrived in Aumont-Aubrac by car, and it is possible to leave it free of charge for the duration of the hike in the SNCF station parking lot, which is what we did.
For the return to the car, we opted for the Malle Postale service. This transport service is designed for both hikers and luggage, for those who prefer to travel light. I made the reservation two days before the end of the trek, and they picked us up in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert the day after our arrival, at 10:30 am. We arrived quietly three hours later in Aumont-Aubrac.
Price: 116 euros for two.

Many thanks to Chemin de Saint-Guilhem for this incredible adventure !

The post The Saint-Guilhem Trek: 143 Miles Through Southern France first appeared on NaturElfes.

This autumn we wanted to get away from it all, without really having any ideas of where to go, I just really wanted to see the beautiful autumn colors again. While searching on the internet, I came across some magnificent autumn-colored Swiss landscapes. It’s a country I discovered in 2021 on a road-trip in a van and loved, and as my partner is a real fan of the country, it was perfect timing!

What’s more, their interactive map indicated that the best time to see the colors was late October-early November, which suited our availability. So we set off from October 27 to 31, 2024 for a mini road-trip, spending 2 nights in Spiez (canton of Bern) and then 2 nights in the village of Les Haudères (canton of Valais).

Map of locations visited

Jogne gorges

Thanks to BestJobers I’d spotted this place, and as it was on the road between the airport and Spiez, we started our road-trip there and didn’t regret our first stop.

We absolutely loved this hike — the autumn colours were stunning, and the contrast with the colour of the river was simply magnificent. It actually reminded us a lot of our hike at Urederra in Spain.

In addition to the scenery, the hike is rather fun, as you pass through tunnels and over bridges, and there’s no real difficulty, apart from a few slippery spots and the last, short but slightly steep climb.

At the top, there’s a lovely view of the lake, so we went to the dam to get a better view. There are also picnic tables here, and a restaurant further up the small road.

For those who wish the hike can be extended, we turned around and came back the same way, so we could enjoy again the landscape and the beautiful waterfall, my favorite.

This seems to be quite a busy place, so I recommend weekdays for a quieter experience. To make the most of the scenery, it’s best not to set off too late in the afternoon, as in autumn the sun sets early and with the relief, the light quickly disappears.
Total: 2.5 hours, 2.2 miles, altitude difference 754ft+ / 820ft-.

When we got back on the road, we were treated to a very nice surprise! I shouted “chamois”, but my darling wasn’t really convinced . We stopped to check if they were just goats ;), and there was a whole herd of chamois going about their quiet lives. Another wonderful gift from Nature!

Spiez

I had booked two nights in this village (see Practical information below) so that I could explore the surrounding area at my leisure. We had originally dreamed of staying in another nearby village, Iseltwald, which had been a real favorite during our road-trip in 2021, but it has apparently become a victim of its own success (linked to a TV series) and overrun with tourists.

In the end, it was a good thing, because it allowed us to discover Spiez, and we loved it just as much. It’s a very peaceful village with a real gentle way of life, a feeling that comes up quite often in Switzerland!

During our short stay, we enjoyed the beauty of the lake, especially at sunrise and sunset. In fact, there’s a hike along it to the next village, but we didn’t have time to do it all.

On the other hand, we did go on a wonderful hike in the village, which allowed us to see the magnificent castle, the church and then to climb the vineyards and have a magnificent view of Spiez, the lake and its mountains.

I must say, I didn’t expect to enjoy this little tour so much. We were truly dazzled by the landscape. Above all, it was the color palette that added to the charm, between the yellow of the vines, the blue of the lake, the orange of the trees, in short, a veritable explosion of color. Add to that the light at the end of the day, and it was a photographer’s and painter’s paradise !
Total: 3.2 miles, 1.5 hours, altitude difference 360ft+ / 394ft-.

I found Spiez to be a really good choice for a place to stay, because in addition to the beauty of the village, there are plenty of opportunities for sightseeing in the surrounding area. Apart from what we did (Blausee and Oeschinensee), there’s also the beautiful Beatus Caves on the other side of the lake, which we visited in 2021. You can also take the ferry to visit other villages. I’d also spotted a number of other hikes that sounded wonderful, but I had to make a choice, so there really is plenty to do if you stay in this area for several days.

Blausee

On the second day of the road-trip, I had planned to visit the famous Blausee Lake, another victim of its “Instagrammable” photo success. I hesitated a lot when I saw the comments, but at the same time I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the lake.

We were only a 20-minute drive from the hotel, so we went when it opened. There were very few people in the parking lot, which reassured me a little, so we were able to enjoy it and take a leisurely tour.

The lake was still in shadow at the time, so we decided to wait for the sun to shine a little brighter.
Unfortunately, an hour after our arrival, two buses arrived and unloaded a horde of tourists. The place immediately turned into a real selfie and photo-shoot zone (poses, outfits, etc. ).

I’d read a lot of comments saying that it was too expensive for what it is, as the tour of the lake is very quick. I don’t really agree with this point of view, it’s true that the tour is quick but it’s pleasant, because it allows you to do it several times. There’s also a little hike you can do further up in the forest. The lake is indeed breathtaking. The color of the water is exceptional, and the fish can be seen with incredible clarity.

In autumn, it’s really sumptuous, and I loved the statue at the bottom of the lake! The big negative point for us is that it’s lost its “wild” side, in the sense that it’s too developed around it, so you feel less in nature. Another complicating factor for us was the behavior of some tourists, who really detract from the charm of this beautiful place.

We then set off to discover another marvel, the Oeschinensee lake, just a 10-minute drive from Blausee.

Oeschinensee

There are two options for accessing the lake, either on foot or by gondola. As we wanted to enjoy the lake and hike to the top, we took the gondola. It’s rather expensive, CHF 30 per person round-trip, but in less than 10 minutes we were at the top.

It then takes 20-30 minutes to reach the lake. We followed the forest path down to the lake, and there was the possibility of taking a shuttle bus, but I don’t know how it works, or how much it costs. We didn’t find the descent along this path very pleasant, and on the way back we found another, prettier and wilder path that also led to the lake. For those wishing to take it on the outward journey, just turn left at a fork with various signs.

Once we got to the lake, our eyes were filled with the blue of the water and the majestic mountains in the background! It’s also quite a busy place, but that didn’t bother us too much.

I’d seen that there was a panoramic tour that offered magnificent views of the lake from a great height. As we didn’t necessarily have the time to do the whole tour, and I’d also read that there were some vertiginous passages, we only did a small part of it. The higher we climbed, the more sublime the scenery, and that’s how we ended up climbing all the way to the hut. I’d definitely recommend climbing just a little to see the lake in a different light.

On the way back, we took the little path through the forest and arrived at the gondola for lunch on the terrace at the little snack bar, with a magnificent view of the mountains. To make the moment really perfect, the nice grandpa next door asked us if he could play his accordion. So we enjoyed this little impromptu concert, watching a lovely retired couple dance. A perfect, loving end to the day!
Total: 3.1 miles, 2 hours, altitude difference 1804ft+ / 853ft-.

Balavaux

On the third day, on the way to our second hotel, we stopped for a hike that was both of our favorites of this road-trip! I’d spotted it on the Novo-monde website.

You get there via a very small, beautiful road and park in a small parking lot in the middle of the forest. I’d already been won over by the beauty of the larch trees along the way, so I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. A word of advice: don’t do as we did and download the GPS track beforehand, because there’s no network. We made do with the few signs and what we’d memorized from the map, and we happily arrived at our destination .

We started off on a pleasant forest trail with a pretty little lake, then stumbled across the most beautiful scenery as we reached the alpine pasture! One word: wow !!!

We stood there for a while, contemplating the scenery, before tackling the difficult part.

It’s a long climb, sometimes quite steep, but the scenery is so beautiful and the photo breaks so numerous that it almost takes away the difficulty ! Especially when a little squirrel makes an appearance . Just before the Balavaux hut, the terrain becomes flat again.

The scenery at the top is equally magnificent, with forests of orange larch trees.

In the end, we didn’t do the loop and decided to return by the same route to enjoy the mountain pastures once again, although I imagine the rest of the hike must have been very beautiful too.

This hike really reminded me of Quebec in autumn, and it was also very quiet, we must have passed around 10 people.
Total: 4.2 miles, 4 hours, altitude difference 1509ft+ / 1444ft-.

Blue Lake Arolla

For our last day, we started with the blue lake of Arolla. I’d read that this was also a popular spot, so we went early in the morning, which wasn’t too difficult, as our hotel was a 10-minute drive away.

We parked at La Gouille and began the climb. Cold mornings are a bit tough, but the scenery was once again beautiful and the colors of the larches as incredible as ever.

After three quarters of an hour of climbing, we arrived at the lake and we were speechless! Even though I’d seen photos of it, the color is truly incredible.

I really advise you to take the tour, because the views change every time. We made the most of it before it got a little too crowded for our liking, and came back down the same way.

Just before the lake, there’s a little hut where you can take a break, and I found it hard to resist their cake . There are several paths to the lake, as well as the possibility of making a loop for those who wish to return by another route (see the site Novo-monde).

We then set off for the Mont Miné glacier.
Total: 1.6 miles, 2 hours, altitude difference 919ft+ / 820ft-.

Mont Miné glacier

We’d loved to see the glaciers on our first road-trip, and when I did some research, I saw that there was this hike 15 minutes from the hotel. To get there, you have to take a very narrow road through a beautiful village and beautiful scenery.

It’s important to know that you can’t park at the Ferpècle dam where the hike starts, as the road is forbidden except to locals. So you have to leave your car beforehand, some people advise you to leave it at the hotel, but we found that there weren’t really any spaces. It’s best to continue to the bend just before the road is closed, where people park. There weren’t any spaces left when we arrived at midday, so we parked a little earlier on the side of the road.

The hike starts on the road up to the dam, then climbs gently up a forest track. We saw that it was possible to take another, more pleasant path along the river, which we did on the way back.

So we followed the forest path and arrived at the edge of a magnificent river. We had a picnic in a real postcard setting, between the river, the little bridge, the hut, the larches and the mountains.

After our break, we continued to the end of the path to reach glacier level. The scenery was spectacular, with snow-capped mountains, glacier, milky-blue river and golden trees, truly magnificent!

A word of advice: don’t go too late at this time of year, as the sun began to disappear around 3pm, and it got very cold, so there was no light left to enjoy the scenery. It’s also possible to make a loop by crossing the little bridge, which we didn’t do, as we had a surprise planned for my darling in the evening .

It’s a hike we also loved, as it was a little crowded without being too much of a nuisance, most people having stopped at the glacier.
Total: 3.7 miles, 2 hours, altitude difference 722ft+ / 656ft-.

Grand bains d’Hérémence

To end my stay in style, I had a surprise in store for my sweetie. About thirty minutes from the hotel, I had spotted the thermal baths recently opened.

The surprise was a pleasant one, as it’s a truly magnificent place to relax. The highlight is the outdoor pool with its magnificent view of the peaks, as the thermal baths are very high up. There are 3 levels, the first with an indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzi, etc. Upstairs there’s a sauna, hammam, herbal tea areas and sensory showers. And the last, I believe, is reserved for treatments (massages, etc.). We arrived around 4:30pm, so we could enjoy the sunset over the mountains, and left at 7pm.

The only snag is the price: it’s very expensive, CHF 50 per person, but we didn’t regret it, because it’s a very soothing place, very well done and with a magnificent view. What’s more, there’s no time limit and there’s plenty to keep you busy.

Bonus: on the road

The landscapes of Switzerland are really beautiful, and stops are frequent on the way, so here are a few photos .

We found this beautiful covered tunnel by chance, on the road between the Jogne Gorge and Spiez, and when we stopped we saw that there was a footbridge just above it. We’d loved taking the footbridge on our first trip, so we didn’t hesitate for a second.

I had spotted these strange geological formations when preparing the route, but I wasn’t expecting their grandiosity. The Pyramides d’Euseigne are on the road between the villages of Vex andEuseigne. Don’t do as we did and try to find a place to park beforehand, as it’s difficult on this road to stop at the last minute.

How was your trip?

Like the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by Switzerland, I didn’t expect to see such beautiful autumn colors, I really felt like I was in Quebec, without the red of the maples trees . It was a short but truly magnificent trip, and the Swiss landscapes (even more so in autumn) are truly breathtaking: mountains, lakes, villages, real postcards! What’s more, we had great weather and the chance to see some chamois, what more could you ask for!
We also love the sweetness of this country, its chocolate, and never knowing what language to say hello in ! We really feel at home here, and could easily see ourselves living here! All I wanted to do was continue exploring the country under these beautiful colors. Something to keep in mind for next autumn !

Practical information

FLIGHT

Booked 3 days before departure with Easy Jet. For several reasons (fares, schedules, etc.) I couldn’t take a Bordeaux-Geneva flight. Flight Bordeaux-Lyon, 300 euros (round-trip) for 2 without hold baggage.

ACCOMMODATION

Reservation on the Booking website of the 2 hotels.

Boutique hotel Riviera in Spiez, a great little hotel in a great location by the lake (see photo below). Good breakfast and very good Italian restaurant on site. Beware, parking is difficult in Spiez, everything has to be paid for, they have a tiny parking lot with 4 spaces but we had space both nights. 380 CHF/ 2 nights with breakfast.

Hotel Dents de Veisivi in Les Haudères, a family-run hotel with a very good breakfast and also a very good on-site restaurant. The village is very small and cute, with its typical houses. We loved this hotel too. 350 CHF/ 2 nights with breakfast.

CAR RENTAL

Reservation via Carigami .This is the site I use most often, as it is clear about the options chosen (insurance, etc.) and is easy to cancel. As is often the case, we took an automatic car, a little more expensive than a manual, but more pleasant for us. 230 euros for 5 days. They charge a border crossing surcharge of 16 euros. We drove about 950kms.

CAR TRAIN

To reach Les Haudères from Spiez, we took a very original means of transport . The road ends at Kandersteg, and you have to hop on a train to reach Goppenstein.

I had booked the ticket on their website the day before. It is very well designed — the ticket is valid for one year, on any date and at any time. You just need to choose whether it will be a weekday journey (cheaper) or a weekend one (if plans change, you can still use it, but you will need to pay a supplement if it was a weekday ticket). The timetables are also displayed on their website, but the trains run very frequently, so if you happen to miss a departure or it is fully booked, there will always be another one shortly after.

On the day, all you have to do is follow the car train road signs. You’ll then arrive at the ticket office, where there are several queues, including one for those who already have a ticket, so you can go faster. From there, all you have to do is wait for the green light to board the train. You stay in the car for the whole journey, which lasts about 15 minutes, almost all of which is spent in a tunnel, which is very confusing ! We really enjoyed this brand-new experience, as it’s really fun to do, and gives the driver a chance to rest ! Price: CHF 26.

HIGHWAYS

You need a vignette to drive in Switzerland. You can buy them at a freeway service area, before crossing the border, or at customs. Price: CHF 40.

Merci, danke, grazie, engraziel (normally all of Switzerland’s official languages are here ) for this wonderful trip !

The post Autumn colors in Switzerland! first appeared on NaturElfes.

Norway was the very first Nordic country I visited, and where I had the immense good fortune to see my first northern lights! Six years later, I discovered the Norwegian summer, and it’s fair to say that I still love this sweet country just as much, if not more! Following a last-minute change of plans, and seeing that the weather forecast was more than perfect, we decided to spend 5 days (June 25 to 29, 2024) in a cottage on the edge of a small lake, the ideal place to rest.

After a short flight, we quickly picked up the electric car (see below for practical information) and got out of the airport with ease. It’s so nice to have small airports where you can move around stress-free! I immediately rediscovered the special charm of the Nordic countries that I love so much, the beauty of the landscapes, the wild expanses, the calm, the gentle way of life…

As the purpose of this trip was rest and relaxation, I had chosen accommodation not too far from the airport (about forty minutes away) and just a few minutes from the small towns of Grua and Roa. We arrived without any difficulty at our wonderful chalet — truly the house of our dreams! Nestled in the woods on the edge of a beautiful little lake, Lake Kalven, with its jetty and rowing boat, and a lovely garden filled with dozens of magnificent and very photogenic lupins — which kept me rather busy throughout the stay !

The icing on the cake was that we were in a pastoral area, so we had the lovely faces of the sheep or cows nearby, and the pleasant sound of their bells. During our stay, we explored the countryside around the chalet and the surrounding area on foot (no more than half an hour’s drive away), took a dip in the lake and enjoyed the jacuzzi in the evening ;).

The day after our arrival,

I was too impatient to go sailing on the lake, so we took the boat and after a bit of a struggle (a lot on my side ;)) to get it moving, we finally docked on the other side.

We moored it up and set off on a trail I’d spotted on Alltrails. Following the app’s map, we created our own loop hike.

We crossed a beautiful forest, discovered a charming little lake and returned along our lake where the boat was waiting for us. I loved starting and finishing the hike in the boat, it’s really fun and original!
In total, 2.5 hours, 4.3 miles, 750 feet of elevation gain, a few strawberries eaten and 0 people crossed.

In the evening, after a good nap ;), we went for another hike, starting near the magnificent Lake Mylla, less than a 10-minute drive from the chalet, with paid parking (see below for practical information).

A good climb through forest, muddy in places, to the summit(Bislingflaka), a beautiful plateau covered with cottongrass at 2,034 feet altitude, with a magnificent 180-degree view.

Faster descent along a forest track.
In total, 2 hours, 2.5 miles, 656 feet of elevation gain, a shy song thrush, and 0 people crossed.

In the evening we discovered that there was no “real” night. I’ve always wanted to see the midnight sun, and we were lucky enough to get a glimpse of it. In southern Norway, there’s no midnight sun like in the north, but the nights are very, very short. It’s so disorienting, this sunset light that goes on forever!

The second day,

we went a little further north of Grua and did a wonderful hike that was a real highlight! I’d spotted some recharging points near the start parking lot, so we plugged in the car and let’s go!

The trail begins near a pretty lake, then climbs gently, first skirting a campsite with beautiful typical houses, then entering a fairytale world of little wooden footbridges amidst cottongrass and orchids!

The scenery is varied, first a beautiful forest, then we cross a meadow with one of my favorite vegetations, the tundra with its beautiful red moss. Finally comes the last climb, a little steep but short in the forest, to reach the summit at over 0.5 miles.

At the summit(Lushaugtarnet), there’s a pretty little hut open to all, and a 39 feet wooden tower offering fantastic views of the entire Norwegian countryside. After a picnic, return by the same route.
In total, 4 hours, 6.2 miles, 1,312 feet of elevation gain, huge bones (remains of an unfortunate deer or elk?), 2 people crossed and a recharged car. .

On the way back, we made a small detour to visit the charming little village of Granavollen, famous for its two magnificent churches. There’s a real sense of peace and contentment in this village, where you can stroll, take a break and enjoy the various local artists.

We finished the day with a swim in the water of “our” lake, which was a little cool, but what a joy to swim in the middle of nature, and what’s more, in a lake in Norway! That’s what life’s all about, as my 4-year-old nephew would say (well, he does when he’s eating ice cream in a deckchair ;))!

For this third day,

this time we went south into Nordmarka to, suspense, … hike ;). We parked in a parking lot packed with cute sheep and took a path up to a lovely viewpoint, Ringkolltoppen.

It takes about 0.62 miles to get to the top, with 591 feet of elevation gain. At the finish, there’s a lovely 180-degree view with a nice little hut where you can build a fire. Just so you know, we’ve seen that there are several hiking trails from the parking lot, and there’s also a pretty chapel just across the road.

Afterwards, we improvised a little hike by looking, once again, at the trail tracks on Alltrails. In the end, we loved this short walk (1.3 miles). We found ourselves in a beautiful forest with magnificent chalets, a first small idyllic lake and then a second, larger(Store Rostjern) but equally beautiful lake.

The road to Ringkolltoppen is chargeable, but in the same way as the parking lots. Personally, I hadn’t paid any attention to the sign (at the little gatehouse on the road) indicating that you had to pay!

In the evening, we wanted to take advantage of the special atmosphere of a never-ending day, so we went for a 1-hour stroll until midnight in the incredible light.

The last day, sniff,

we once again took a pleasant 1.9 miles loop hike from the chalet.

I was a bit, a lot, nostalgic, so I took all my time and it turned into a “hiking-photos”, where I photograph (even more than usual, that’s to say ;)) everything that passes in front of me: flowers, insects, etc.

Before we left, we took one last trip in the boat and to finish things off in style, I dropped the oar holder, which sank straight into the lake! We were right in the middle of it, so the return trip was particularly comical ;)!

How was your trip?

We really loved this little trip, and just like in Finland and Sweden, we felt right at home. So it was really hard to leave this little corner of paradise, especially as we had incredible weather. We were overheated at night and came back all tanned! I think Norway is the new destination for “sunny” vacations !! I often read that people in Nordic countries are cold, but on the little glimpse we got, we didn’t feel that way. In fact, I found a great book in Oslo airport that humorously explains the Norwegian way of life and character, and I can see why, as introverts, we feel so at home there!

To my great regret, we didn’t spot much wildlife during our stay — “only” two roe deer and of course the little birdies (I’m not counting our adorable sheep). We had seriously considered going to see the musk oxen in the Dovrefjell massif, which has been a dream of mine for a long time, but it was 5 hours away from our chalet. We thought about taking the train, which would have been a lovely experience, but for such a short stay we preferred to relax and save it for later! Not an easy decision when you’re so “close” to making a dream come true, but it gave me the idea for a future trip — a van road trip through this beautiful country, with seeing the magnificent musk oxen as the main goal!!
[Update] A dream that finally came true one year later: On the trail of the musk oxen in Norway.

Practical information

FLIGHT

Booked 1 week before departure with Air France. Flight with stopover, Bordeaux-Paris-Oslo, 689 USD for 2 without checked baggage. In the end, due to a delay of over 3 hours on the return flight from Paris to Bordeaux, we were reimbursed 265 USD/person. You may not be aware of this, but there are additional compensation schemes for flights within Europe in the event of delay or cancellation. Please take a look at the conditions here.

ACCOMMODATION

Booked via Airbnb, 200 euros/night. A wonderful chalet, very beautiful with its green roof, spacious and comfortable. The location is perfect, very peaceful and close to two small towns (10 minutes by car). On top of that, Hege, the host, is incredibly friendly. We did not meet her in person as check-in was self-guided, but we exchanged plenty of messages.

CAR RENTAL

Booked via Carigami, the site I use most often, as it is very clear about the options chosen (insurance, etc.) and easy to cancel. Only electric cars were available, which surprised me and made me a little nervous. But upon arrival, the young woman at the reception explained the car’s features to us really well, and we learned that Norway is THE country of electric cars — as a result, charging stations are everywhere!
The car was advertised with a range of 250 miles, but we only recharged it once for a total of 137 miles covered. Recharging was easy, at a charging point, via an app with online payment. The battery was at 60% and we paid around 20 USD to charge it further.
The rental company asked us to return the car with a minimum 70% charge, but we managed to arrive at the airport with a 74% charge ;). If not, there’s a recharging station nearby.

TOLL ROADS

There are quite a few tolls in Norway. On the short distances we covered, we must have been flashed 5 times. It’s automatic, no need to stop or slow down. We were charged on the way back (about 25 USD) on the card we’d used to pay the car deposit.

PARKING

Parking lots are also often fee-paying, even small gravel ones at the start of hikes. The license plate is read automatically and then you just have to go to the app and pay within 48 hours. We paid for 2 parking lots, each with about 3 hours on site, 8 USD for one and 5 USD for the other.

Takk takk (Norwegian thank you) for this beautiful journey !

The post Norway in summer, an enchanted bubble! first appeared on NaturElfes.