ST NICOLAS DE VEROCE

A road never yet taken and we drove up and up to the hamlet of Bionnassay. The views of Mont Blanc were glorious. Vehicles pulled in to disgorge groups of climbers who were setting off for the climb from here, a more athletic way than riding the tramway up to Nid d'Aigle.

In a pasture of long grass we spotted an animal. At first we thought it might have been a fox but when it eventually moved it was obviously a cat. But it was huge. It must have been 4 times the size of our cat. I managed some hazy photos of it which haven't helped much, but I think it may have been a Wildcat.

After sitting out in the sun gazing at the view and having lunch, more baguette and Brie, we trundled off down the mountain again. On the way up the mountain on the other side of the valley, towards home, we veered off to St Nicholas de Veroce as another part of the Photo Festival was exhibited there. It was in the museum next to the church where a notice said it would be open in the afternoon, but though we were there for some time after the siesta hours, it never did.

A bonus though were the Crag Martins nesting under the eaves of the church. We had seen them at Emosson nesting on the wall of the dam but not this close.