Precarious

There’s no way I can get to Rougon, let alone Castellane, if I’m going to visit Keith before I go home. So, I walk into Riez and stick out my thumb.

The first lift is a gardener at an ex-monastery where they grow organic food for people attending courses on yoga, meditation etc. Then an outdoors type, complete with bandana, picks me up. He listens to my constraints and takes me to the beginning of the path that leads to “the most beautiful view in Verdon.”

It’s a massively steep climb to the Plein Voir, but it’s through beautiful forest - I’m full shade. At the top, the path joins the GR4 that runs along the ridge at about 1200m. It’s lovely and easy, but when the turning for the Sentier de Bastidons comes up I take it.

This takes me into the gorge, up and down, clinging to the cliff, with only intermittent shade. By the time I pop out the other side, I’m fair done in. I creep down the road to Palud-sur-Verdon and check into the most basic, most beautiful campsite so far.

In the village I but some tapenade and a carton of choc-soya dessert. A couple of Kronenberg later, I’m feasting on crackers back at the tent, as night falls and packs of dogs serenade me to sleep.