Samoens 2019

A long weekend hiking in the French Alps.

4 days ― September 2019

Part 1: Refuge de Sales and on to Pointe de Sales

With summer fast disappearing, Oj and I escaped to Samoens for a long weekend of hiking and charcuterie.

Day 1

Permalink to “Day 1”

A pleasing hike up the Gorges des Sales to the Refuge de Sales, before doubling back up much higher to a great lookout over the valley.

A photo taken from one side of a valley facing the other. The opposite face is deeply scarred, with patches of moss green on the upper faces.

2019/09/13
1/160s at f/5.6, 15mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Ed holds a railing as he looks from one side of a steep valley to the other. The side he’s stood on has a near vertical wall of stone, with a path cut out in to it.

Photo by Oliver Wooderson.

Ed Horsford ― 2019/09/13
1/280s at f/1.8, 28mm, ISO 20, iPhone 10

Looking up a valley. A path ascends the valley on the right, with Oj walking half way up it.

Oliver Wooderson ― Cascade de Sales ― 2019/09/13
1/450s at f/5.6, 23mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

A panorama taken from the valley of the Refuge de Sales

Refuge de Salles ― 2019/09/13
1/1900s at f/1.8, 28mm, ISO 20, iPhone 7

Looking straight on to the Chapelle de Sales in bright sunlight.

Chapelle de Sales ― 2019/09/13
1/350s at f/5.6, 24mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Looking inside a small chapel. The inside is bare except for a few religious artefacts on a cement table.

Chapelle de Sales ― 2019/09/13
1/40s at f/4, 15mm, ISO 1250, Fuji X-T20

A white sheep looks directly at the camera

2019/09/13
1/6400s at f/2, 53mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Oj climbs deeply creased rocks under a deep blue sky.

Oliver Wooderson ― Pointe de Salles ― 2019/09/13
1/1100s at f/5.6, 15mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Ed and Oj stand at the top of the Pointe de Salles looking north over the valley.

Ed Horsford, Oliver Wooderson ― Pointe de Salles ― 2019/09/13
1/800s at f/5.6, 15mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

A panorama looking straight at the Pointe de Chardonnière

Looking back to the Pointe de Chardonnière.

Pointe de Salles ― 2019/09/13
1/750s at f/5.6, 15mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

A photo looking down a valley in shadow as the sun sets. The right hand cliff is still lit brightly, in contrast to the dark blue rocks below.

2019/09/13
1/200s at f/5.6, 15mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Part 2: To the end of the world

Day 2

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For our second day we choose an easier route - driving to Joux Plane at 1691m, walking to La Borgeoise, then north to Pointe d’Angolon.

A wide panorama from the Pointe d’Angolon

Oliver Wooderson ― Pointe d’Angolon ― 2019/09/14
1/3200s at f/1.8, 28mm, ISO 20, iPhone 7

Oj in the air, mid jump. He’s high up on a mountainside in the bright sun.

Oliver Wooderson ― Pointe d’Angolon ― 2019/09/14
1/2000s at f/4.5, 15mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Oj climbing a steep path on the left, with a panorama of the alps to the right of him. In the center of the frame is a large pipe emerging from the hillside.

Oliver Wooderson ― Pointe d’Angolon ― 2019/09/14
1/1500s at f/1.8, 28mm, ISO 20, iPhone 7

A yellow circle painted on a rock, with a smiling face in the middle.

2019/09/14
1/2000s at f/1.8, 28mm, ISO 20, iPhone 7

A close photo of the trunk of a medium sized tree. A stripe of white-red-white stripe has been painted horizontally around the trunk.

2019/09/14
1/100s at f/1.8, 28mm, ISO 32, iPhone 7

Day 3

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Following the Giffre stream uphill to the source, we got to ‘Le Bout du Monde’ (The end of the world) - which rewards with a spectacular view back through the valley.

A wide panorama of a valley with steep rocky sides.

Le Giffre ― 2019/09/15
1/1400s at f/1.8, 28mm, ISO 20, iPhone 7

A brown and white goat with horns stares straight at the camera, with it’s mouth open. It’s stood on a branch of a tree above the photographer.

Le Bout de Monde ― 2019/09/15
1/40s at f/4, 17mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Ed sat on a large rock, overlooking a large and deep valley.

Ed Horsford ― Le Bout de Monde ― 2019/09/15
1/640s at f/5.6, 18mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Several sheep graze on a grassy mountain side.

Chalet du Boret ― 2019/09/15
1/600s at f/5.6, 17mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Ed and Oj sat at a picnic bench half way up a valley. There’s a large red awning above them.

Ed Horsford, Oliver Wooderson ― Chalet du Boret ― 2019/09/15
1/2000s at f/1.8, 28mm, ISO 20, iPhone 10

A hiker on a path with a wide sunny valley behind him.

Oliver Wooderson ― Chalet du Boret ― 2019/09/15
1/400s at f/5.6, 15mm, ISO 200, Fuji X-T20

Before Samoens I visited Lisbon. Afterwards I went to Snowdonia.