Saturday Mar 5
Click here to go to my photo album for this trip
This trip, of course, really started on Friday night when, after a meal at home with Fritz and Beverly we set off at 21:30 to get to Gare Austerlitz for the 22:25 overnight train to Nice and then on to Tende. I was in a cabin away from the others as I had booked the train some time back. I still seemed to suffer a problem sleeping on these trains and I felt that I was awake most of the night.
At dawn I got up an positioned myself at a corridor window to watch the south of France go by. We were traveling along the coast but the views of the Mediterranean was on the other side of the train - the side everyone was sleeping on. I had to be content with views of pretty villages high on slope looking towards the sea. I got some photos but with dirty windows, glare from the rising sun and power poles and other objects whizzing past the camera, the photo were not marvelous.
The train had left Paris 35 minutes late and since we only had 9 minutes to change trains at Nice Fritz was on the move anxious rushing about having conferences with train guards etc. I had noticed that, during my long sleepless night, that the train seemed to going extra fast. The carriages were swaying and occasionally the wheels would shriek on corners. The train was only 5 minutes late when we arrived in Nice. 4 minutes to get off and on to the Tende train. I had unknowing been sharing my cabin with Serge (who was on our ski trip) and we had both realise this minor fact earlier in the morning. Also another trip member, Salonge, was close at hand. We teamed up and after a quick look for our other trip members we hastily followed the signs to the Tende train platform. We were on the train. Fritz was anxious and was last on the train after trying to round-up everyone. He felt sure that my standard of French language was insufficient to ensure I would find my own was to the train. It took him a short period of time to cool.
As the train pulled out of the station we began to realise that this was not a normal train ride. There was "guide" on the train who was explaining the sights as we went along. It became apparent the Nice to Tende trip is a famous tourist rail trip and we were soon at the (dirty) windows clicking away at the steep gorges, cuttings, arched viaducts and villages tucked away in tight corners of the mountains and just hanging on to their high perches. What a prize this train trip was.
We arrived at Tende almost on-time and the mini van was there waiting for us. No one was in a panic any more. The railway station at Tende was far bigger and more impressive than the town seemed to require. It turned out that our old mate Benito Mussolini had built his private retreat here in Tende (when Tende was in Italy) and the station had to match his own importance.
The mini bus wound its way up the hill to Casterino and we began to see just how impressive the area Fritz had chosen for our trip was. Casterino was a village of about 6 significant buildings and our Auberge only just made it into this count. It was a two-story place which, clearly, had been built by its current owner but it was to do the job well. We moved in and immediately pulled on ski boots and joined up in Fritz's room for the briefing of our first ski tour. Fritz had given us instructions to wear our ski gear on the train and have a lunch ready to go. We had all complied and we were on the snow close to the planned 11am.
The first ski tour on Saturday:
The plan was to follow trails marked on our topo map to a lake at 1994 meters (Casterino 1543 meters) and ski back down another valley to Casterino.
We skied north along the prepared nordic trails and made our way up the Vallon de Casterine for about 2 kms at which point all evidence of any further trail stopped. It was decided to climb steeply up the snow slope to try and meet the trail to the lake. After a steep and awkward climb we arrive at a small saddle where there was a small building (and a pitched tent). There was a unanimous decision to stop for lunch. A small chamois decided to graze on the rocks a short distance above us and the photographers were occupied for some time. After lunch we skied about 100 meters and found a National Park information sign indicating we were on the correct trail.
From this point the grade was much better and we move quickly. Passing over a section of minor avalanche activity. Basically some large snow balls had rolled over the track. The scenery was improving fast as more mountain country came into view. After a short time the trail leveled out and we can to the snow covered Lac des Grenouilles. We were surrounded by the high peak of the Cihm duChanvrairee range (2361m)leading around to Mt Ste Marie (2340). Across the Casterino valley was Mont Chajol (2293m - tomorrow's task).
Fritz was still keen to find a route down the Vallon de Fontanalba. Some of the group show a strong preference to return to Casterino the way we had just come up. So the group separated. 4 of us skied with Fritz down over the Fontanalba river bridge and to some small National Park shelters. THe route ahead was not clear and we could not find any evidence of ski tracks. The initial slope down looks good but it finally turned into a very steep drop-off to Casterino. We decided that the better choice at, 1600 hour, was to follow the our group and go back the way we came.
The ski back was reasonable although the ice was a little difficult. We were able to find an alternative to our initial steep climb and got back to the Auberge Ste Marie Madeleine at about 1730, well in time for hot wine and a shower before dinner. Dinner was soup entree followed by a beef main dish, finishing with a blueberry slice and espresso. Accompanied by a number of jugs of local wine.
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