FRANCE 2007 From the Alps to the Pyrenees a tour of the canyons and ravines of southern France

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The first pass through gorges that are the scary Vesubie La Provence in the high, narrow and deep with his rock-colored metal, translucent rain, where the light struggles to penetrate to the bottom where the stream runs fast and relentless in its work of corrosion. The narrow road between the walls creeps up to take us to Puget Rostang.

The Verdon. Along the Route de Cretes gorges along the right side, we reach the most impressive stretch of the Grand Canyon. Ahead of us the most incredible natural scenery, a charming resort extreme, a perfect nature, where water and rock have worked together to shape a wonderful landscape. Our gaze is lost in the immensity of the landscape and holds his breath when your eyes fall to the bottom of the immense gorge in a polished white limestone rock in a succession of corners and crevices of impressive beauty. Gorges du Verdon are the largest canyon in Europe, second in the world after Colorado. In places, the river has a width of just six meters, with vertical walls up to 700 meters high. The stunning emerald green of its waters gave the name to this powerful river which over millennia has carved these rocks relentlessly and with determination, including the establishment of a unique habitat for countless quiet giant vultures circling above us.
After a long stage of transfer to the north, through the famous Route de Napoleon, we arrive in the evening to Choranche in the heart of the Park of Vercors, near Grenoble. The next day to leave the park, take Route de Combe Laval, a single street, full of galleries, which runs along the sides of walls carved high. And 'certainly one of the most incredible roads we have ever done. Made in the nineteenth century. with dynamite, the ice ax, but especially with the arms and the sweat of brave men, is considered a masterpiece of engineering and classified as historical monument.
Our journey now continues southward in the heart of Provence. Cross deep ravines, sometimes dry and dark, sometimes changing and thriving in a clamor of colors dominated by the intense green of the leaves.
In the distance we see the Mont Ventoux and white that stands alone among the green trees. To reach through vast fields of lavender that unfortunately for us will flourish later in June and July.

Just off the Mount Ventoux, we head west towards the Gorges. Passing near the town of Orange, in Pont St Esprit, a beautiful town on the Rhone, take the road that is located in the department of Ardèche, a winding road that crosses the gorge for 42 km to Vallon Pont d'Arc.
Gorges, very deep, take the name of the river course that has drawn. There are some tight bends in places characterized by small often crowded beaches, the vegetation here is very small and fragrant and the road heads up hill following the profile.


Continuing through the region of Languedoc-Roussillon. We entered the Cevennes National Park, a nature reserve established in 1970 to protect the many species of flora and fauna that characterize this area. Unique French park to be uninhabited, and the environment is maintained all its rights, interests and harmonious development of mankind.
In the evening we find accommodation in Florac, a small town inside the park and the Cevennes National Tarn which is home Journal. Crossing a stream by the crystal clear waters, with its bridges and its narrow streets, attracts tourists who pass through it before forwarding within the Gorge and are still fascinated by the atmosphere of this bucolic village in the Cevennes.
The day continued with a clear sky and endless sunshine. We have just emerged from the canyon of the river Tarn, which we already tucked into the famous peaks of the Gorges de la Jonte. These jagged hills, the rocks are sharp, well known to naturalists all over the world because inhabited by colonies of vultures, griffons to be exact, which exploit the updrafts to slowly circling at high altitude.

Today is the last day before the big return. We start from Ganges, a small town in the Languedoc, which declined after a few kilometers in the Cirque de Navacelles, a deep crater in a rocky, eroded over millions of years by the river Vis. It is a giant maze, a funnel amazing that lies deep between the nearly vertical rock walls. Below there is a deep gorge in this country, Navacelles, with houses of the tenth century, where peace reigns supreme. After a short stop for the usual picture we head towards the Pyrenees. Suddenly before us Carcassonne, the most beautiful gem of France, majestic and dark. We do not believe our eyes, an incredible vision with its towers and ramparts that dominate the lower city, old and polished stones, which were the scene of epic battles and sieges.

Pino Perugini