Camping in the Vallon du Clou, Saint Foy
Nothing quite beats the feeling of wild camping in the high mountains. Clean fresh air, sunset views to take your breath away, and the sensation that there is no other human being for miles around.
The late afternoon / early evening hike is part of the joy of the experience. I prefer to take a path through the forest, enjoying the dappled light of the setting sun, and the richness of colour it brings with it as it closes out the day. It draws me along the path, higher and higher . . .
Above the forest, the evening sun beams horizontally, lighting up just the glaciers and mountain tops. The shadows are now moving so quickly that you can actually watch them moving.
Choose your camping spot wisely. Avoid pitching your tent where rocks might fall, dislodged by nature or wild animals, and think what view you want to see when you unzip the tent door in the morning. Other than that, the hardest bit is often finding a flat spot! Once the tent is erected, enjoying an evening meal outdoors in what is often a moment when the mountain air is still and silence abounds, is a moment of peace and tranquility to soothe the soul. Your cup of after dinner tea really will be the best drink of the day!
After the sun has dropped below the horizon and darkness falls, the night sky is the greatest show on earth. On a clear night, and it’s well worth checking the weather so that you pick a clear night, the Milky Way reaches across the sky lighting up and showing off our galaxy in all its mind-blowing splendour. Zero light pollution lets stars you have never seen before shine brightly, and satellites reflect the light of the sun as they trace their path across the night sky in all directions, sending the information to whoever picks it up.
The stars of the show, if you can excuse the pun, are the shooting stars. Small bits of space rock entering the earth’s orbit, burning up and creating a magical arc of intense light. If you are lucky enough to be here during the Perseid meteor shower in August, you can see two or three shooting stars per minute, and when viewed from the top of the mountain, some of them streak half way across the sky. I am left in childlike awe when I see this. It really is the greatest show on earth, and it’s absolutely free!
The top of the mountain is no place for a lie-in, and the first rays of light bring with them the excitement of a new day. The early morning light creates more spectacular views, and dawn is when you have the best chance of seeing chamois, especially on the ridge line.
I like to cook some porridge for breakfast, and it is the only time I use the magic camping ingredient, chopped up bits of snickers to give me energy for the morning’s hike. After that, and a cup of tea, I feel like the world is my oyster and I set off on my morning’s adventure wondering what the day will bring.
This particular morning, I was visited by a falcon. Normally, you see them flying, so I was pleased that this one came and perched on a nearby rock to say hello.
Spending a night under canvas high up in the French Alps is spiritually replenishing and reinvigorating for body and soul. I thoroughly recommend it.
Read other articles about Sainte Foy on the Time to Ski blog page
