This is a description of the rest of the trip.

This fresk will be found at the west entrance of the city which is surrounded by a wall.

The city is not very big and you will soon find the amphi theatre with roman origin.

The theatre is real impressive and is so big that during the middle ages the inside of it was all covered with houses which had at that time a good wall surrounding them – the walls of the theatre!

The theatre is in many ways in a fine shape. There is a big restoration undertaken rebuilding parts that are badly damaged.

The rest of the town consist of old buildings all over and certainly has a good feeling.

The theatre of Arles.

Close to Arles there is the so famous Camarge, the river delta landscape with bullets and white horses. Here seem to be an yearly celebration of the horse.

Celebration of the Horse.

After one night in Arles I was heading for Nice. After a train change and a petit dejuner in Marseilles I was on my way. The part from Marseilles to Nice is almost completely operated by TGV trains, the fast trains of France, to which you have to have a place reservation. I reached Nice about noon. The Chemin de fer de Provance railway is completely disconnected from the main railroad system in Nice so you have to walk a little while to get to the station, some 10 minutes!

There leaves about 5 trains a day from this station in Nice heading up in the southern Alps and going to Digne. Along the small railroad are many stops and I think every one of them have something interesting to see.

I choose to stop in the place Puget The´niers where the first mountain hike started in the guide I had bought at the train station in Nice.

In Puget it was not hard to find a decent hotel. The hotel was called Alize and seemed to be popular among motor cyclists travelling this beautiful road towards Nice. I think it was 64 Euro per night for a single person in high season.

At the edge of the village started my first trail. The elevation was not to high; 500m and the durance should be 6 to 7 hours the guide said. This meant that may path would reach about 1000m at the highest point.

Up we go.

In connection with this trail is also a via ferrata. This is a mountain trail which includes wires and other equipment that will help you pass steep and crevasses. You do not need to use the Via ferrata. The trail for mountain walk take another passage.

The Via Ferrata close to Puget-The´niers. (Note wire between cliffs!). You can rent gear and a guide!

Signs are not always as clear and concise as these. Normally there are only simple markings made by paint on branches and stones.

Just behind the mountains in the background is the town of Nice.

So this particular trail ended in another town:

The town of Entrevaux. It completely closes of the valley at a narrow point. The name of the town indicates that. The castle in the background has a narrow road from the town. It’s guarded by about 20 ports on that road. (Some of them seen in the picture). There are also some more ports leading into town. All of them have a draw bridge. The town has very old origins, at least from the 12:th century.

The next morning I decided to move a little along the railroad. Why not go to Annot, famous for it’s special nature with big stones out of some material that to me seemed like sand stone. Seems to be referred to as Turbidite. Covered with lichen they looked very similar to granite. Close to the village is found several houses which use big blocks as part of their walls.

In the morning there was heavy rain but in the afternoon it stopped so I could go for a shorter walk that would include some of the geological highlights of Annot.

The house is build together with the big stone. Notice the channels cut in to collect rainwater.

This mountain goat, some type of Gems suddenly came along passing my trail. It stopped and had a look at me. I wondered why it was keep looking for such a long time. Me being able to pick the camera up. Suddenly it also made a long whistling Noise. Real characteristic. It repeated several times. But a little later I found the reason. There was a kid also and of course the mother had waited for it.

Echo chambre. La Chambre du Roi.

It was not possible to find a room in Annot so the tourist office helped me to find a youth hostel in the nearby village Le Fugeret.

Here I would pay 32 Euro plus 2 Euro for sheets. The petits dejuner was 7 Euro but very rich.

This mountain stream can be found on the trail close to Le Fugeret.

The next day I choose a little longer trip. It was passing the nearby mountain and landed at a very small village on its next side. 

So I reached a small top of the mountain. It had the ultimate altitude of 1522m. This was not the main peak any though. The main top reached 1998m. Here cheep was kept in a fenced area. I had may brought food package which I also had bought at the youth hostel. Only 5 Euro for this!

I think this was Salvia. Anyway common here on 1520 m over the sea. There was a tremendous lot of bees in it.

Now there was climbing down. I was heading for Allons Argens, a small stop along the railroad. The walk down showed to be rather exhausting as the temperature rose and the last 5,5 km was on a paved road. At Allons Argens there was a small camping but not very much more. The keeper was one of those persons I have met before, not exactly him but a person with about the same story. He was about 50 years old and born in Paris. Where he had lived his life. Owning a house close to the Charles de Gaulle airport. There was one aeroplane take off every 90:th second he said. Finally he got so fed up with it so he bought this camping in the southern Alps buying himself a peace of quietness. I asked if it hadn’t cost much. Well he said, I sold my house in Paris so it was not a problem! This was not the first time I met this type of person.

Having come down to Allons Argens I also reached the Verdon, my goal for this trip!

So finally I found it! The river Verdon. It may not look big but here it is. Not to far away to the west from this point, some 50km you will find the famous georges. But this I’ll keep for another trip!

You had to stop the train waving your arms at this station. No problem, they were used to it.

This is a scene from inside the train.