Amber waves of grape vines

I did not realize that grape vine leaves turned brilliant golden colors in autumn. Each variety seems to be a slightly different hue. The brightly colored vines make the Céze valley even more beautiful. Viewed from the cliff behind our apartment, the patchwork of colorful fields is absolutely stunning. The above photo is taken viewing south. The Marcoule nuclear research facility is visible in the distance. Natural beauty even overcomes the man-made industrial site.

Summers here in the Gard are famously clear and dry. We've enjoyed many hikes and bike rides through the countryside. But, I have to say that the Fall is the prettiest time of year. Though we may have to contend with more rainy afternoons, the results are worth it. Most trees have become more brilliantly green with the extra rain, providing a great contrast to the golden vineyards in the valley below. Roxy and I have been taking daily walks to enjoy the sights while they last.

Les Concluses

The power of water to cut through solid rock is pretty impressive. This process, however, can take hundreds of years and can leave uneven results. Sometimes the rivers rush through narrow gorges and other times they meander around gently sloping valleys. The geologic age of the river and the type of rock have a lot to do with the results.

A few kilometers northeast of Lussan (in the Gard region of France), the Aiguillon river has unevenly cut a path through the soft limestone. This river completely dries up in the summer, making it possible to hike along the river bed and stand in the rocky shelters created by the river's swirling pools. The many large bowl-shaped indentations in the rock create an interesting hiking experience.

We descended along a trail for about 2 kilometers down to the river bed. Two short planks pass as a bridge to cross the "river." Roxy joined us on the hike. She loved exploring the rocky basin, as we listened to our echoes and searched for hidden caves among the concluses.

On the opposite side of the river, trails promise more interesting destinations. However, this requires a steep ascent over boulders and around steep cliffs. The standing rock at the end of the trail was hardly worth the extra effort. Nevertheless, it was fun watching everyone scramble over the rocks in the path.

Alés

We were lured to Alés by the promise of a large outdoor market - so noted on our trusty markets of le Gard list. Alas, we were misled. There was only a small indoor farmers market. It was far less than we have come to expect.

Having already explored the major regional cities of Orange, Nîmes and Avignon, Alés was a bit of a disappointment. As a tourist destination, it's more significant only as a launching point for trips into the Cévennes area, referring to a low mountain range in central France. We noticed a significant difference in the geography from our current home closer to the Rône.


On the day we visited, the pedestrian shopping streets seemed a bit small while still less than filled. We (my mother in law and I) did manage to do quite well at the stores however. This is the season for soldes (sales in French). A set length of time in which the stores can run their best sales is dictated by the government. The trick is to find the optimum time when stores have lowered prices to their best offers but the merchandise has not been totally depleted. I left the city with three new shirts and a fall jacket for around 50€.