Tag Archives: Vulture

France – Vultures

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9th September 2022

Today we took Morrison on an outing into the Verdon Gorge. First, we visited Rougon, a small village on top of a cliff overlooking Verdon Gorge. Here we ate lunch at Crêperie Le Mur d’Abeilles. We had visited the same Crêperie three years before on the geology trip. We initially sat outside, but a few droplets from the sky saw us scurrying inside. This was soon over, and we went back outside before our crêpes arrived. The vegetarian aubergine and tomato crepe was so delicious. We caught glimpses of vultures in the distance, spotting a maximum of six at a time. Too far off to photograph.

We went back down the hill turning on to the D952, heading back in the direction of Moustiers, and at the Auberge des Crêtes we turned up on the D23 to where we could get a good view of the Vultures. When we had passed this junction on the way to Rougon, the road had been closed. It was now open in the afternoon. No idea why it had been closed.

This road is a fabulous road to drive on, with switchbacks, tight corners, precipitous edges and tunnels. In one section it is one way, and so should be driven only from east to west. We stopped at the second pull-off on the route, which is Belvedere de Trescaïre haut. This stop is only a mile along the road, and parking for several cars, and precipitous cliffs. You are safe with the sturdy fencing.

We stopped here for several hours and waited for the vultures. There were not many around at first, but they came eventually. (French lunch?) There were several other photographers with large lenses, a Nikon, Sony, and my Canon, and then another Canon materialised. One motorcyclist who did not have a camera said he came every couple of weeks to photograph the vultures. He usefully pointed out new vultures while you were concentrating on a receding bird.

One thousand pictures later, we left and continued the trip around the D23. Coaches do the same trip, not sure I would like to drive around some of the hairpins and narrow tunnels in a coach. The drivers though were arrogant, one forcing a car at Belvedere de Trescaïre Haut to leave by reversing up to them and forcing the occupants to make a strategic departure. I think I would have stuck to my guns and not moved on.

On the route we stopped off at several viewing spots to snap a few pictures. It was interesting to see the valley from different perspectives.

We arrived back at the campsite for a well-earned beer and then supper, but first we reattached the awning to the Morrison.

Verdon and Vultures

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A small group of able-bodied strong males and females headed off down the mountain in Wiz’s 4×4 to try to rescue the stricken vehicle. They took a huge jack and rope. The rest of us stayed on the refuge for breakfast, and then walked back down to the one van at the barrier. Here some geology took place. Examining the map of the Geology of the area and trying to see it in the rocks. Only started to work when it was figured out exactly where we were standing.

Afterwards, some of us went down in the van, while the rest walked down to the D17. The stricken van had been rescued. The advice of the Anglo Saxons had been ignored, which was just to tow it out of the hole. Instead, fruitless work with rocks and jacks was performed. This would apparently have gone on for some time. Luckily some French foresters came along, they looked at the problem and advised towing the van out. This was done with no issues.

There was an ancient Roman wall near the junction, some bits were quite stable, other bits totally trashed. While the walkers came down, the guides asked a few to go mushroom hunting for supper. As I arrived down I heard the guide throwing most of the fungus out with cries of Toxic, Toxic.

We headed to the Otherside of the Verdon Gorge to Rougon. This windy road had a lovely stopping place where we could view, Belvedere de Trescaire bas. The cliffs were vertical and we were told this is the highest verticle drop in France. The French guide had climbed it with her father when she was five. The vultures were flying and I photographed some fabulous pictures of them. You could see their nests on the other side of the canyon. Oh, there was a sole climber, on the other side.

We continued down the gorge and at Col d’Ayen stopped. Here took a photo of a mating butterfly and other insects.

At Chapelle Notre-Dame de Beauvoir, we duly admired the star hanging between two rock outcrops.

Soon we were back at Cruis, where the rest of the group were dropped off, and we were left at our campervan for a well-earned shower and clean up. Soon we were back at Wiz’s for supper and wine.