Grenoble

3 - 6 December 2015

Grenoble is an inland tech and science hub, surrounded by mountains. Lovely views, great people, ski access (we didn't go skiing though), and a nice, compact city manageable on foot or public transport.

Trams, cycle paths, footpaths, impressive natural features and housing density - what more could one ask for in a modern city?

The view across the river

Snow capped mountains

 

Christmas market!

Crepes, vin chaud (mulled wine) and Christmas presents

Space age tram passes the carousel - and there's even a public toilet on the left there!

City council-funded free expression board filled with posters advertising a violence against women protest

 

The view from Bastille

Finn's scared of heights so he didn't like the look of these

That long glowing road you can see right of centre is the longest straight road in France... and I believe the third longest in Europe

One of the two rivers running through Grenoble

Caves!

Another window in the same cave!

The city glows prettily in the evening

Peyrus

1 - 3 December 2015

Peyrus is a small village near Valence. It's super quiet, and there are some lovely walks nearby. We stayed with friends while we were there. There's very little in the way of holiday accommodation in Peyrus, but I assume there is some in nearby villages.

I climbed a small mountain :-)

I took many photos that looked a bit like this, in an attempt to capture one of the squirrel who was darting around the tree. Can you spot it?

Path of drugs

The view 3/4 of the way up

My first glimpse of snow!

It was cold

It was hard to work out what was white stone and what was snow

Definitely snow, of the blanket variety

The top of the mountain was super flat. It was used as grazing for animals, and I grazed there too.

Magnificent view

The white cliffs

A cold and bright winter's day

I realised the sky was changing quickly...

...it was time to head back.