This time around we began in St. Rémy de Provence, along the ridge of the Alpilles mountains:
Below Roger admires the view from atop the Alpilles, extending to the Mediterranean Sea:
Day 2 coffee in Bonnieux, pre-hike...
... fuel to climb towards the majestic cedar forest atop the Luberon, seen below:
Visiting the village of Lacoste after the hike:
Day 3's daunting task: climbing to the summit of the Sainte Victoire mountain from its base, below:
Ridge pointing towards the summit, ready to attack...
... as are the three Canadian kids below -- 6 to 7 years old -- who would reach the top shortly after we would. Message to my brother Michael: Miles will be able to do this in 2 years' time! (and no, these kids had no prior hiking experience)...
The long ascent atop the spiny crest:
And without much of a challenge (but a good sweat nonetheless) the summit is reached, some 1000m in altitude.
A blast from the past:
these pictures were taken 5 years ago, when I last hiked with Roger and Ridge. Below Roger is scaling up the highest point in the Dentelles -- a tricky little scramble that involves a narrow limestone chimney at the end to access...
... a sliver of a limestone platform high above the Rhône Valley, with sheer drops to all sides...
And here's Ridge happy about his accomplishment:
See you guys in another five years' time...
