Once Paula completed her summer job at the La Romanche restaurant the activity level shot up. The girls visited their old horse riding instructor (and ex-summer mom) Cecile in the Ardeche, did a 2 day hike 'off the beaten track', crossing a high pass, and reaching a real summit. They also did some real rock climbing, supervised by Mary.
The last week Paula's best friend Carmen turned up for an outdoor camp as well. The girls crammed the week with a large variety of activities: horse riding, cycling, rock climbing, via ferreta, and a 2 day hike to the Sept Laux, an area with 7 lakes, partly created for hydro-electricity, in the Belledonne mountain range. We stayed overnight in a refuge, and the next day we crossed the high Col de la Vache, with magnificent views towards Grenoble.
Like every year Beau's horse shoes were worn out after several weeks, and Mary managed to track down the long-retired, 80 year old local blacksmith to help. He managed a quick fix, which only lasted a few days, and Beau had a leisurely final part of the holidays, enjoying our garden without any physical exercise.
At the end of the week it was time to organise the house and the garden, get Beau ready for transport and drive back home to a life or normality at school, university, the stable and the office.
Tour de France on Alpe d'Huez: Valverde and Quintana
Sam cycling up Alpe d'Huez
Max, Sam and the girls on a hike towards Taillefer
Sept Laux: Lac de la Corne
Sept Laux: Lac de la Sagne
Sept Laux: Dorien at Lac Cottepens
Paula arriving on Col de la Vache
Descending from Col de la Vache
Dorien cycling towards Auris
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