Ambre Singh's Blog

These last few weeks were really busy, with the reportage on the strange rock formations of Grauland, the feature article on my beauty recipes for Elle magazine and the tourism assessment trip to Dyrhólaey for the Cock Agency... I really needed a few days of rest. 

That's when I was presented with a charming new destination, the village of La Vallée in the Gorges du Tarn. Just enough time to throw a few things in a suitcase, to take Giulia's croquettes and I was off.

The trip on these small roads was pleasant, except for some scares at difficult crossings and the usual delay of the bus due to obstacles in the road.

And finally, I had arrived, and was greeted by a goat who seemed to know me well.

The village of La Vallée has no hotel, but I managed to find a room above the restaurant.

I was pleasantly surprised by the local cuisine. Giulia too, it seems. And the wines are excellent. 

After dinner, we went to discover the surroundings of the village. From the top, you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the gorges. And on the clouds which announce the rain!

The weather changes quickly in the region. We had hardly made a few meters that the storm arrived. Too bad for the umbrella that the girl of the restaurant had kindly lent me....

A torrential rain forced us to run and take refuge in the first house we could find.

The house was empty, but the owners had thought to leave a reserve of wood, enough to dry us until the storm was over. 

Dried and warmed up, we took the road again in small clothes, avoiding to surprise the locals.

And we settled in for the night. Despite the fatigue, I did not sleep much, the room left much to be desired!

The bakery was fortunately open at dawn, and the breakfast put us back on our feet, ready for a day of new discoveries.

When I returned to my room to change, I discovered that there are many cats in this village.

After retrieving the dog from the roof and putting on a comfortable outfit, we went down to the river. While Giulia explored the surroundings and did her business (she is very modest), I got to know the dogs of the village.

It was still early, the tourists had not yet invaded the place, it was the ideal moment to go down the Gorges. A moment of carelessness and happiness. 

After canoeing down, we walked back up the riverbank, taking the opportunity to observe the wildlife. 

And of course, to play!

The ascent of the river reserved some surprises.

Arrived at the bottom of the village, I decided to rest before the arrival of the tourists. 

After a lunch on the restaurant's terrace, I finally started volume 3 of Tits Stories.

But I was soon interrupted in my reading: a guy invited me to play petanque - but I think he was more interested in my chest.

I let him win and ogle me for a while, just to be cordial to the natives, then left to discover other activities offered by the tourist office. While passing on the bridge, I discovered that a cruise of new tourists was coming, if they reached here!

I had tied Giulia to a tree, in the shade, before attempting this interesting crossing. But she hates being alone. 

To avoid being drowned in the crowd of tourists, I rented a vespa, and we went to explore the surroundings.

A short hour's drive from the Gorges du Tarn, you can visit an extraordinary cave, called the Grotte des Demoiselles (cave of the young ladies). One may wonder where this name comes from.

 From the cave, you can make a loop through the Cevennes and visit the Bamboo Grove of Anduze, an extraordinary bamboo forest, where it is easy to lose your dog.

Finding Giulia took me a while. My weekend was coming to an end. I rushed on the way back, hoping to arrive on time to catch the bus. And I missed it. Just barely.

Since the restaurant was closed from Sunday night to Tuesday, I had no place to stay for the night. So I tried to find a solution, and started knocking on doors. 

The closest one was the garage. I knocked, with no answer, so I lifted the metal door. And took it down again!

I then knocked on the door next to the bakery. Obviously, that was not the right door either.

A little later, I saw light filtering through a door in a backyard. I approached... but did not knock on the door.

Resigned, worried about what I might find when I opened a new door, I moved to the bus station to wait for the first morning bus.

This time I didn't miss the bus. I loved this weekend in the Valley. If you like surprises, this is a destination I highly recommend!

 Link : Les Gorges du Tarn, La Vallée in Second Life

Thanks you to Iska and Sominel Edelman for providing such a wonderful place ❤