29 Jun 06

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29 Jun 06

Grand Paradis

Near Bardonnecchia

We decided not to fly yesterday because storms had been forecast and so, instead, we went to Barcelonnette for lunch and then drove back via the col de Vars and Guillestre.

Back in flying mode again this morning, we knew it was a good day because we spotted two key indicators at briefing - Jorg and Jutte (the local German resident pundits) were present and had already prepared their own gliders ready for a big day. My plan, as ever, was to fly north into the Maurienne.

An easy getaway once more; a strong climb at Hongrie, then Authon, Blayeul, the parcours, the col de Vars, the Queyras and through the col d'Etache into the Modane valley. There weren't the high cumulus I had been hoping for at the col de Carro but there was enough of a margin to pass into the Aosta valley.

As I reached the main Aosta valley I could see that the clouds were low on Mont Blanc, even lower to the north of Aosta, and a curtain of rain between the two made up my mind for me to turn back.

Grand Paradis

I chose the central ridge back towards the col de Carro, west of the Grand Paradis. Keeping pace with the rising ground I picked off a good thermal and was climbing to about 11,000ft when I simultaneously heard a muffled thump on the glider and saw a flash of something small and dark pass by.

Thankfully it was not another glider, but either a buzzard or an eagle. I couldn't tell whether it had been a deliberate attack or just an accident, but as I rounded the turn I could see that the bird was still soaring. Not inclined to establish its territorial intentions, I decided to abandon the thermal and head for the beautiful Grand Paradis instead, one ridge to the east. On climbing away once more, I consoled myself with the thought that somewhere in the Italian Alps was a large bird with a very sore arse.

Grand Paradis

Storm over the lac Ste Croix

The return back through the col de Carro and the col d'Etache was uneventful, and I took advantage of a huge street over the Queyras to get to the Barcelonnette valley, and then the lac d'Allos and the Cheval Blanc. To the south a large cu-nim was forming, so reaching the lac Ste Croix was looking less and less likely. I went back to the parcours where the cumulus was still good, and then to Chabrieres where it wasn't. Down in the weeds at Montserieux it took a last gasp save low over the trees to help me avoid landing out at Gap.