Combe d'Armancette

A relatively easy walk out today to get our mountain feet back - and get used to the incredible heat!
A steady path through the woods took us up tk this once wild place - but the glaciers here are hugely in retreat and scrubby growth is slowly taking over. Whilst still dramatic it was easy to see that change is taking place on a massive scale. The explosion of new growth together with the ancient lower forest meant that it was a wildlife haven - Alpine newts, dragonflies, fungi galore, nutcrackers and more.

From the 1850m contour very little evidence of the glaciers is now visible. But water still makes its way down this huge bowl. The Lac of the same name is little more than a puddle, but the sound of running water is everywhere, often burrows under the rocks.

We took a slight detour on the route back as the marked path and the roaring of nearby water in the torrent suggested there'd be a bridge - from which this blip was taken. I think the glacial origins of the water and its power is still easily visible.