A Walk in an Alpine Meadow (10/02)

We didn't find an open place for lunch, but went further up the mountain to a lovely meadow. While it was starting to cloud up in the distance, it was sunny and warm where we were at. Here are some of the images from that walk:

This was beautiful, past bloom but still stunning. I can't remember what this was called, but will post it when I find out. If you know what it is, please leave a comment.

Having a Wild Thyme in France! An obsession of mine is identifying edible plants in the wild. As you would expect from any Ricola advert, wild thyme is growing all over the Alps: Swiss or French!

Spotted: Voltron ~ In France (10/02)

On our way to our Alpine Meadow Walk, we spotted this little fixture... I was very excited as I was certain that what appeared before my eyes was Voltron himself, and was slightly disappointed when I was informed that it was only a French fire hydrant.

When in France, Phone Before Driving Up Narrow Roads for Lunch, But Not When Walking in Alpine Meadows (10/02)

Our agenda for the day was to have lunch once again at Châlet la Pricaz and the have a nice leisurely walk through Alpine meadows. We drove all the way to Forclaz, up the steep and narrow mountain road, only to discover that they were closed. Despite the fact that it wasn't their scheduled week day to be closed. This is a valuable lesson my friends: while in France, if you don't like steep and narrow roads, please do phone and check an establishment's agenda for the day before making the trek up.
I was gutted, but it gave me time to visit the Cows.

The Tarentaise cows are one of the breeds whose milk is used to make Reblochon cheese.

We also spotted this, Montbéliard. This is a well known dairy breed that is mainly used for making cheese.

The cows were lovely, and so was the location, so we decided to move on for our Alpine Meadow walk in hopes of finding lunch on the way.

What to Eat After Walking Through Alpine Pastures (10/01)

After a long, high altitude walk through Alpine Pastures (in which I've spared you from the photos), we were ravenous! It was my turn to make dinner that night, so I went for an easy classic: steak, sauteed mushrooms, and salad.
The steak was cooked à point, and served with Sauce béarnaise, from a jar I'm afraid, and not made by my own fair hand. Though making it from scratch is yet another thing I'd like to attempt in the upcoming year. I've never made béarnaise sauce before, and am somewhat terrified of ending up with scrambled eggs.

The steak was followed by a cheese course. We had some lovely cheeses: (clockwise from the top) Comté, Bleu des Causses, Reblochon, and Epoisses.

We finished with a box of Bonne Maman Lemon Tartlets, which were surprisingly good. They were nice and tart - not too sweet.

Stomach full, legs tired, I was ready for bed. Another good day in France...

Rules to Abide by When Walking in the Alps (10/01)

Welcome to the Alpine pastures of the Haute Savoie. Help us conserve the quality of this region.

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Take your garbage with you,

animals cannot digest it and nor can nature!!!

* * * * * * * * Grass is precious, please drive and park in authorised areas.
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Fences are necessary, please close the gates after you pass through them.
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Keep your dog on a lead, as it might scare the flocks.
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This is great advise to follow not only when walking in Alpine pastures, but also at home.

This message was brought to you by the Haute Savoie Conseil Général: www.cg74.fr/index.html