Excited, we left the hotel room. Today’s hike contained a few milestones for us. This would be our first high mountain pass, and our first time to stay in a mountain hut. The wilderness was supposed to be more remote. Our first leg of the journey was a cable car ride up to Las Ruinettes.
We stepped off the cable car, and quickly found the trail. It was a gentle uphill walk that carried us around the side of the mountain. Running parallel with the trail was a manmade canal called a bisse. They are used to gently guide water off of the mountain, prevent erosion, and irrigate crops. Some are over 300 years old.
Gator walking next to bisse
Once the trail separated from the bisse, we began a series of tight steep switchbacks, some of which were only 5 or 6 feet long. We continued up to our first mountain pass, Col Termin. From the top, there were commanding views of the mountains on one side and Lac Louvie on the other. We stopped to take a few photos and enjoy the view.
We began the descent to Cabane de Louvie. The steep rocky trail was softened by a sea of wildflowers. We could hear the songs of marmots and see the turquoise water of Lac Louvie. Just before reaching the cabin, we passed several barns built out of stone from the mountainside. The barns have been standing for over 200 years.
Old barns made of stone by Lac Louvie
Wildflowers along the trail
We got to Cabane de Louvie and traded our hiking shoes for our trusty pair of Crocs. We sat down at the picnic table, had a glass of local Gamay wine and enjoyed the view of the lake and cool weather. At seven, we went inside for a communal dinner. Eight people were seated at our table. They all spoke French and for the most part, we had no idea what they were talking about. So, we sat quietly. Perhaps feeling sorry for us, a man from Israel began a conversation in English. He asked us about our travels, and we explained to him it was our first time in Europe. He laughed a little and exclaimed, “You could have gone to Paris or London, but you chose to come to the mountains!”
