A Snowy Spectacular Day

Saturday 20th May

A fairly quiet day today. We fronted up at the tourist information office to book train tickets for Sunday - read all about it next. Then a visit to the castle in Pau. Sadly all booked out for the weekend (probably due to the influx of people for the Grand Prix) so booked that visit for Tuesday.

The Chateau de Pau - more on Tuesday. 

Next stop was the undercover market. This was actually quite a surprise as it is not like any other market we have visited. It is in a reasonably new and purpose built building. Very clean and very spacious. As in previous comments we are surprised just how patient the French are when waiting their turn to be served. There is an orderly queue with a sign indicating which way the queue should form. We didn't buy much but just enjoyed looking at what was available. 

Now to upstairs - it is like a food court but again so spacious and clean, and very civilized. Probably 15 - 20 different food options, and most also served wine. A nice atmosphere - a long way removed from eating a dim sim at south Melbourne market. Stocked up for Sunday dinner as we were going to be out early in the morning and supermarkets close at lunchtime on Sundays.  

Washing day - all our hand knitted socks.

Sunday 219st May

Wow! What a spectacular day. 

We’d been keeping an eye on the weather hoping for a not so cloudy and miserable day to do the train ride at the top of the Pyrenees - the highest train in Europe (well that was the marketing blurb. Some googling back at the ranch found this to be not true. Maybe the highest Petit train.). Sunday was the best day according to the tourist information office. 

We headed out of Pau towards the Pyrenees. It was a 1 1/2 hr drive to the village of Artouste where we were to catch first the cable car, then the petit train. As we were getting closer we could see sun shining on the snow on the mountains, and blue sky. Fingers crossed this would last. We were plenty early - even beat some of the workers there - and had a hot chocolate and crepe with blueberries for breakfast. No phone or internet service here so luckily I still carry some cash.

The rest of the trip by cable and train is best described with photos. Saw a few marmots as we first headed out but we were too slow for photos.

Out of the tunnel and WOW!

This is looking down to the start of the cable car ride up.
This went up from about 1200m to 1900m. 

Lac d'Artouste - 200m up from the end of the train journey.
The train journey is about 10k long at a height of 1940m. 

This is a marmot. Think they are large ground squirrels.
They hibernate in winter so are only just starting to come out.  

Odette - enjoying the (very) fresh mountain air.

Even the old dog enjoyed the train journey.

Headed back down the cable car.

And when we got back to the other side of the mountain range the train had followed, the cloud had moved in.
We were so lucky! Our side of the mountain was clear of low cloud.

Only one restaurant/snack bar at the top so not a lot of choice in food. Again, no card facilities - and no coffee!! What is france without coffee I ask!?! Apparently this is only the second day the train has been running after the winter break - did someone forget to load coffee on the supply train? But they did have a fantastic home made chunky vegetable soup. 

The weather cooperated -only 4 deg but clear skies for the most part.

A sensational day!