More Route Napoleon, Gap to the Riviera, (July 6 to 10)

     

South from Gap the climate and landscape became suddenly Mediterranean. 
The valley of the river Durance; gravelly valley floor is ideal for orchards, not unlike BC's Okanagan. 
Gap to Sisteron, July 6th, 47 easy kilometres.

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suddenly, at Sisteron, the wide, flat valley narrows where the river squeezes between two massive outcroppings.  On one side, the Citadel...

 

...on the other side, a huge, angry-looking fold of limestone.  It's called "La Porte de Provence": the gateway to Provence.
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     
Adventure playground at the youth centre in Sisteron.      

 

 

 

   

Geraniums in Digne-les-Bains,
July 7

Digne is a very ancient town, the site of roman baths at its hotsprings. 


I arrived early in the afternoon and went for a swim at the municipal pool: Les Bains des Aux Chauds

[Pools of the Warm Water]
 

                    Commemoration of
                    Napoleon's stayover in Digne

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Les Clues à Chabrières.
Can't find 'clue' in any french dictionary but it appears to mean
'a narrow road' !!
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     
      A bridge,said to date to roman times, at Senez, spanning the river Asse de Blieux
It's not much more than two metres wide; a car could crawl across, most trucks couldn't.

 

 

    
A bit further up the road...  
"Avertisseur Sonore Obligatoire"
[Sound your Horn!!]

before going into La Clue de la Roche Percèe
[pierced rock] ...  
       

 

 
   
 



... and out the other side.
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Top of the Col des Leques  
       

 

 

 

 

 

 


and down, down, down to Castellane.		      
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Why nobody goes to church in Castellane.  
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Outdoor air-conditioning at a restaurant in Castellane.  Every twenty seconds or so,a burst of fine, cool spray.  It does keep the terrace cool, but it's a bit irritating.  
       

 

The game continued until about 1:30 in the morning.  This is from my hotel room window.

 

 

 

 

 

Boules in the town square at Castellane.
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Next morning, July 9, looking back at that church.
No, there isn't an easy way up. 		 
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
     
Two more passes...      
...  and, at last,  the Mediterranean      
     
     
       
In a high valley south of Castellane, the Chapelle de Notre Dame de Gratemoine.
 
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     
The Riviera.   Thirty kilometeres distant and 1.3km down.  In the forground, Grasse; beyond, Frejus and St. Raphael. 
To the left, my destintion, Cannes.		      

Next:  The Riviera