Like Here, Only Different ~ Day 7 Le Colorado Provencal

Distance 12Km 5 1/2 hour Gain 825m descent 840m

This is a potentially messy day.  I headed out from the village of Saignon northeast towards Rustrel.  Today saw a lot of agriculture fields with Lavender and grapes again the mainstay crop.

The weather started overcast with a chance of sprinkles.  I opted to not wear my sunshirt, as no sun was to be seen.

I met a few friends along the way

The dog joined me, without invitation, about 1/2 hour walking.  She clearly knew where I was going.  She would trot ahead and often she would be standing at a trail junction.  She almost always had the correct trail selected for me.  Above we were at the north side of the ocher site.

Winding and climbing up the Colorado there are great cliff views and the landscape is dominated by Ochre.  This soft red rock contains iron oxide and for centuries have been used for making pigments.  Its wonderful pigment properties are brought into the forefront when trip notes state that any clothing staining should be brushed out, not rinsed or washed out.  I have to imagine the folks around the area know what hikers have been up to when they demonstrate their stain marks.  A slip or fall is going to leave a mark in more ways than one.

The footing was like walking in semi-soft sand.  The colors ranged from pale buff to deep pumpkin orange.  Occasionally there were dark purple streaks in the banks.

I managed the whole trip without a trip or slip.  The rain started just after the dog joined me.  As most of my walk was in the woods, I got no more damp than I would on a hot, sunny day.

I made great time, even though I moved slowly.  Spotting birds, listening to their song.  Looking for bugs and new flowers.

I took a loop walk through the Colorado and saw the ocher pits close up.

When I got to the ocher pits, the dog clearly knew were the fun was to be found.  She jumped in the creek, took a big drink then proceeded to run all over as if to try to invite someone to play tag.  She forgot about me and went on her merry way.  Almost 10K from where I met her, I could not concern myself to knowing where she belonged.

I finished my walk in Rustrel.  There was not much town in the town.  A little snack at the cafe watching the pedal and motorcyclists come and go.  I then had enough time before my taxi to climb up to the top of the village and visit the graveyard.

The last photo was from above the town with the top of the church the only thing in view.  A quick taxi ride back to La Pyramide in Saignon and an afternoon in the sunny garden listening to the neighbors playing boules.