Pete's Blog - Week5(d)
Descending from the col we skirted around the end of the Crête de l'Apaliar, a popular area for via ferrata where we could see people climbing airy rock faces with apparent ease! At Brunissard ( 1746m ) we met up with Judy Armstrong, an internet friend of Sue and Ivan and a prolific walker planning to produce some French 'Topo-Guide' walking guides for the area. She joined us next day for a fairly relaxed and short walk to Ville Vieille. En route we met some very lively, elderly French ladies at Les Maisons and then caught up with a family group ( a couple with four children) who were using a donkey to carry their luggage. The children looked really happy following their father and the donkey down a steep forest track to Chateau Queyras ( 1350m ). Chateau Queyras is a Vaubon fort on a rocky outcrop and we had a leisurely salad lunch there before heading for our gîte, Les Astragales. The dinner was superb and was typical of the good food and service we had been getting used to. For about 35 euros you get home made tomato soup, then local salmon with wheat and red cabbage, a green salad, cheese, a cake and crème anglaise dessert and then a 'tisane' ( herbal tea ) to finish. All this as well as bed and breakfast! Cont - 5e