Charentes & Loire • Oysters & castles [FR] ENG

FR | ENG

In October, we hit the road to explore the Charente and the Loire Valley, between oyster farms and majestic châteaux. Each stop immersed us in the local history and culture, to the rhythm of the autumn colours. Come on board with us for a road trip full of wonderful discoveries!

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→ MASSIGNAC [1 night]

Hotel Domaine des Etangs

Nestling in the Charente, the Domaine des Étangs is a five-star hotel where comfort blends with the beauty of the countryside. This vast 1,000-hectare estate offers rooms in a historic château where each decoration is themed around a planet (we stayed in the Mars room), and farmhouses surrounded by ponds, gardens and works of art. Ideal for an unforgettable retreat in the heart of nature, the Domaine des Étangs is as appealing for its discreet luxury as for its intimate atmosphere. As soon as we arrived, we regretted that we had only planned to spend one night here...

We took advantage of the rain-free afternoon to explore the estate by bike and punt before enjoying the interior of the château with its many lounges, comic book reading room and games room, which gave us an atmosphere worthy of Hogwards.

Before you arrive, don't forget to book a table at their Dyades restaurant. All the freshest seasonal produce is harvested daily from their organic spiral garden on the estate, right next to the château.

→ LA TREMBLADE [2 nights]

We left the splendid Domaine des Étangs in the pouring rain, ready to discover the landscapes of the Charente and the Atlantic coast.

First stop: the village of Talmont-sur-Gironde, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Perched on a cliff, it is famous for its Romanesque church of Sainte-Radegonde, which seems to defy the ocean, and its cobbled streets lined with hollyhocks. Despite the wind, we were charmed by its timeless atmosphere.

Talmont-sur-Gironde

Grottes du Regulus

We continued on to the mysterious caves of Régulus, carved into the cliffs of Meschers-sur-Gironde. Once used as shelters and troglodyte dwellings, they bear witness to a fascinating history. However, the storm forced us to return to the comfort of our car before continuing.

Phare de la Courbe

Fortunately, the skies cleared a little for our stopover at the Phare de la Courbe, an emblematic monument at the entrance to the Gironde estuary. We were able to climb to the top of the 300 steps in a retro-blue décor that made our heads spin... but what a reward: a spectacular view of the Coubre forest, endless beaches and the restless ocean.

Île d’Oléron

After our 1st night in La Tremblade, and with the sun back in the sky, we started the day by strolling through the charming daily market, where the colourful stalls were full of fresh local produce before heading off to the island of Oléron. We crossed the picturesque Baudissière channel, famous for its colourful oyster huts. Unfortunately, many of them were already closed on this rainy October day, but that didn't stop us enjoying the place.

Fortunately, we found a pleasant lunch at Fort Royer, where we enjoyed oysters and mussels. After catching a glimpse of the famous Fort Boyard from the coast, we reached the Pointe de Chassiron. Although the lighthouse is aesthetically beautiful, we weren't totally enchanted by this stage. Perhaps it was the lack of atmosphere we were hoping for? A rewarding day nonetheless, but not necessarily our favourite of the trip.

la Tremblade

To round off the day, we explored La Tremblade, a renowned oyster-farming village where maritime activity and local traditions are omnipresent. We took the opportunity to fly our drone over the oyster beds, the shallow basins used to refine the oysters. These ponds, fed by seawater, play a key role in maturing the oysters, giving them their delicate texture and distinctive iodised taste. The landscapes of the oyster beds, bathed in golden evening light, were simply magnificent from the air - a great way to end the day.

Where to eat | where to stay

For these two nights, we had the pleasure of staying at Maison L’Ostréale, a charming bed and breakfast. Isabelle and Frédéric welcomed us with a warmth and kindness that immediately put us at ease. The tastefully decorated house offers a peaceful and refined setting. A special mention goes to the absolutely delicious breakfast, made with fresh, tasty local produce. An address we recommend without hesitation!

For oyster lovers, there are two exceptional addresses in the region: La Boutique Gillardeau, an iconic place to savour the prestigious Gillardeau oysters, which combine refinement and savoir-faire, or Chez Memlou, a picturesque shack on the Baudissière channel, perfect for an authentic local experience.

nother address well worth a visit is Manger sur la Plage,he restaurant of the Dormir sur la Plage hotel. Situated in an exceptional setting overlooking the ocean, this restaurant offers tasty cuisine using fresh, local produce, all in an elegant, relaxed atmosphere. The perfect place for a meal with a view after a day of exploring.

→ ÎLE DE RÉ [3 nights]

The next day, we headed for the famous Ile de Ré, but not without a stopover in La Rochelle. This port city charmed us with its lively old port, its emblematic medieval towers and its narrow streets lined with arcades. A perfect break to soak up the maritime atmosphere before continuing on our way. La Rochelle's covered market is a must for lovers of fresh, local produce. This is where Marc treated himself to huîtres Breuil, a real iodine delight. These oysters, renowned for their finesse and unique flavour, are a perfect reflection of the region's maritime terroir. A convivial, gourmet experience that's well worth the diversions!

Ars-en-Ré

We set down our bags in Ars-en-Ré, at the foot of its emblematic bell tower that has guided sailors for centuries. From our first explorations, the island won us over with its picturesque charm and lively villages. Unlike the island of Oléron, the atmosphere here is more vibrant, with colourful markets, lively harbours and narrow streets lined with white houses with pastel-coloured shutters. This flat island, ideal for cycling, invites you to slow down and enjoy every moment.

Phare des baleines

Situated at the tip of the island, this historic lighthouse offers breathtaking views from the top of its 257 steps.

Plage du Founeau

A long stretch of fine sand bordered by pine trees, ideal for a peaceful stroll. At this time of year, the waves give the place an authentic character.

Salt pans

A symbol of the island, these shimmering geometric expanses tell the story of the ancestral trade of the saunier. It's a fascinating place to visit by bike and learn all about the local know-how.

Saint-Martin-de-Ré

With its Vauban fortifications and bustling port, this town is bursting with charm. Its cobbled streets and boutiques invite you to stroll and shop. Meet up at the end of the day for a lively aperitif on one of the port's terraces.

La Flotte

Listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, this authentic market town boasts a medieval market, narrow flower-lined streets and a friendly harbour.

Where to eat | where to stay

We stayed at Sénéchal, a hotel in the heart of Ars-en-Ré that combines charm and refinement. This authentic hotel will win you over with its tasteful decor and soothing atmosphere. The tastefully appointed rooms offer perfect comfort after a day's exploring. An ideal place to make the most of the island in an elegant and intimate atmosphere.

→ MARAIS POITEVIN [1 night]

After leaving the shores of the Atlantic, we head for a completely different atmosphere: that of the Marais Poitevin, also known as the ‘Green Venice’. With its winding canals, lush green landscapes and small villages, this region offers a peaceful, bucolic break. We can't wait to explore its hidden treasures and immerse ourselves in the authenticity of this unique natural heritage.

We really wanted to explore the Marais Poitevin by boat from Coulon, but with the capricious weather, all the hire companies had closed up shop. A little disappointed, we settled for a good crêpe to save the evening. The next day, our host saved the day by hiring us his boat. And then it was magic: we found ourselves alone in the middle of the canals, in absolute peace and quiet. We finished our trip just in time before a huge downpour. A memorable experience, despite the unexpected!

Where to eat | where to stay

N We stayed at Trèfle d’Eau, a charming guest house in the heart of the Marais Poitevin. The warm welcome, peaceful setting and carefully decorated rooms made it a lovely place to spend the night. An ideal address for making the most of the ‘Green Venice’.

→ CHENONCEAU [3 nights]

Château de Chenonceau

We put down our bags for 3 nights at the Auberge du Bon Laboureur, located right next to the magnificent Château de Chenonceau. Before we arrived, a light broke through the mist, and we took advantage of this mystical moment to go for a walk. The mist enveloped the Cher, creating a magical atmosphere. I've put the Google coordinates here to help you find this place and come face to face with this château.

The next morning we set off to explore the interior of the Château de Chenonceau, nicknamed the ‘Château des Dames’ because of the women who have shaped its history. Built in the 16th century, it was given to Diane de Poitiers, the favourite of Henry II, who transformed the gardens and added its emblematic bridge. After the king's death, Catherine de Médicis, Henri II's wife, reclaimed and enlarged it, transforming the bridge into a gallery. Louise de Lorraine, widow of Henri III, then lived there in mourning. Each woman left a unique mark. This Renaissance château is distinguished by its unique architecture, with its majestic arches spanning the Cher River. Inside, you'll find richly decorated salons, works of art and gardens.

Amboise & le Clos Lucé

L’après-midi, nous découvrons la ville d’Amboise et son château, perché sur un promontoire offrant une vue imprenable sur la Loire. Ce lieu chargé d’histoire a abrité de nombreux rois et conserve une atmosphère royale unique.

We continue with a visit to Le Clos Lucé, the last home of Leonardo da Vinci. Between his inventions, his drawings and his workshop, we plunge into the fascinating world of this Renaissance genius.

Beauvale zoo

On our 2nd day, and in the pouring rain, we decided to take a trip to Beauval Zoo, about 30 minutes away. Despite the bad weather, the experience was almost beautiful: the park was deserted, and we had the impression of having this immense place all to ourselves. This zoo is one of the most famous in Europe, renowned for its exceptional collection of rare and endangered species. It is home to more than 35,000 animals, including giant pandas - a real speciality, as few zoos in the world can accommodate them. The park is huge, with habitats recreated for the comfort of the animals, ranging from the African savannah to Asian jungles and giant aviaries. A great day out, despite the capricious weather!

Where to eat | where to stay

The Auberge du Bon Laboureur, just a stone's throw from the Château de Chenonceau, is a charming hotel combining elegance and comfort in a warm atmosphere. With its English-style inn, refined rooms and gourmet restaurant, we enjoyed taking refuge here when the weather was bad.

→ CHAMBORD [2 nights]

Château de Chaumont

It's off to our last stop on this raodtrip. Our first stop is at the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, a jewel overlooking the Loire. This castle, with its medieval and Renaissance architecture, seduced us with its elegant towers and historic atmosphere. Its gardens, famous for their International Garden Festival, are a fine example of eccentric creativity.

Château de Chambord

After a break in Blois, a charming town steeped in royal history, we end the day at the Château de Chambord, impressive in its grandeur and architectural detail.

Staying just a stone's throw from the Château de Chambord, we had the privilege of admiring it in all its guises. We explored the château and its double-revolution staircase, a masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci. We also cycled around the estate to enjoy the natural surroundings. Marc set off at dawn to try and spot the deer. Although he wasn't so lucky, hearing the bellowing in the quiet of the morning will remain a beautiful memory.

Where to eat | where to stay

We stayed at the Relais de Chambord, , a hotel nestling right opposite the château, offering spectacular views of this iconic monument. With its design blending authentic charm and modernity, this place combines comfort and elegance in a peaceful atmosphere. Its privileged location allowed us to take full advantage of the beauty of the estate at any time of day. The hotel also offers bike hire and can equip you with boots and binoculars for a deer-spotting adventure on the Chambord estate.

• So, are you ready to live your own adventure? •

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The articles and photos we publish in this blog belong to us, unless otherwise stated, so please be fair and don't use them without contacting us first...

Cornwall • Cornish Escape [UK] ENG

FR | ENG

This week-long road trip through British Cornwall, with a stopover in Dorset, was a real immersion in the charms of southern England. Shared with Tracy's parents, this adventure took us through iconic landscapes combining wild coastlines, green hills and picturesque villages. Each stop revealed welcoming pubs and local traditions to discover. Between moments of conviviality and exploration, this week offered us a lovely interlude in the rhythm of the English countryside.

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→ TINTAGEL [1 night]

Port Isaac

When we arrived in Cornwall, we were greeted by a light English rain, adding an authentic touch to our first day of adventure. After collecting our car, we set off for our first stop: the charming village of Port Isaac. With its cobbled streets, whitewashed cottages and stunning views over a sheltered cove, Port Isaac instantly immersed us in the picturesque atmosphere of the region.

As we wandered around this village full of character, we couldn't help but think of Nelson, our Jack Russell puppy, who had stayed behind in Switzerland. Here, everything seems to have been thought of with dogs in mind: from the authorised beaches to the welcoming spaces in the pubs. It's undoubtedly a little paradise for our four-legged friends!

After a comforting break in a local pub, where we enjoyed a pint accompanied by typical dishes, we continued on to Port William, our stopover for the evening.

Port William

Situated on the edge of a cliff with an uninterrupted view of the sea, Port William is in a class of its own. The roar of the waves against the rocks, the salty smell in the air, and the wild scenery as far as the eye could see won us over straight away. The fading light added a dramatic touch to the landscape, and it was a real pleasure to end the first day sipping a good beer while admiring the raw beauty of the coast.

Where to eat | where to sleep

Port William is a hotel-restaurant near Tintagel, offering pretty rooms with stunning sea views, pub food and a warm welcome.

→ STUDLAND [2 nights]

Tintagel Castle

Our second day began early with a visit to Tintagel Castle, steeped in mystery and legend. This spectacular site, perched on a cliff overlooking the raging sea, is known as the legendary birthplace of King Arthur. Walking through the ruins and over the vertiginous bridge that links the two parts of the castle, we were fascinated by the history and the raw power of the landscape.

Topsham

After this historic immersion, we set off on a long stage towards Dorset. On the way, we stopped off in the charming town of Topsham. Our route then took us through Lyme Regis, a coastal town full of character, with its famous ‘Cobb’ (historic pier) and magnificent views of the Jurassic Coast. We arrived in Studland in the late afternoon, bathed in golden light... What a joy to be back in the sun.

Old Harry Rocks

Our third day began with a delicious breakfast at The Pig on the Beach, which we enjoyed in the sunshine in the garden. It was the perfect way to set ourselves up for an active morning.

We then put on our walking boots to explore one of the region's natural gems: the Old Harry Rocks. This iconic site on the Jurassic coastline offers spectacular views of brilliant white chalk cliffs jutting out into a deep blue sea.

The path leading to the cliffs winds through lush green meadows. At the end, we took the time to admire these impressive rock formations, sculpted by the centuries, and to capture these magical moments with a drone, one of the highlights of our trip.

Where to eat | where to sleep

The Pig on the Beach is a hotel and restaurant nestling in Studland, Dorset, with stunning views of the coast and the rock formations of Old Harry Rocks. The architecture is reminiscent of a gingerbread house, with pitched roofs and charming details that give it a fairytale feel. The establishment has a magnificent kitchen garden, a source of fresh ingredients for its restaurant, which serves delicious food using local produce. The warm atmosphere and attention to detail make this a haven for travellers seeking authenticity and comfort.

→ TALLAND BAY [1 nuit]

Leaving Dorset, we drove to Talland Bay in Cornwall. On the way, we discovered another of the region's treasures: the village of Looe.

Looe

Looe is a lively coastal village, divided in two by a river that meanders down to the sea. On one side are cobbled streets lined with colourful shops and local craftsmen; on the other, a picturesque little harbour where fishing boats bob gently. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the air is filled with the delicious smells of freshly caught seafood. We treated ourselves to a seafood lunch, enjoying the bustle of the harbour and the friendly atmosphere at The Fish Market.

Talland bay

After this gourmet break, we continued on to Talland Bay. Nestling in a peaceful cove, this destination offered us a very different atmosphere: calm and nature.

To round off the day, we took a stroll along the bay. The colours of the sunset over the water made for a magical moment of relaxation and contemplation. A wonderful way to end this leg of our journey.

Polperro

On our 5th day, we headed back to the Lizard Peninsula, but not before taking in all that the road had to offer. Our first stop was Polperro, a picturesque village with narrow streets and colourful cottages that seem to hang over the sea. A charming place to stroll around.

Heligans Gardens

We then visited Heligan Gardens, a veritable plant paradise. This historic garden, rediscovered after decades of neglect, offers a combination of lush gardens, Victorian glasshouses, giant plants and fascinating natural landscapes.

Mevagissey

For lunch, we took a well-deserved break in Mevagissey, where we enjoyed some excellent fish and chips in a local restaurant. The fresh fish, accompanied by crispy golden chips, was a real delight.

St Mawes

In the afternoon, we continued on to St Mawes. This small fishing village, situated on a peninsula, offers a splendid view over the bay. We took time to enjoy the magnificent light and take a few photos before catching the ferry to the Lizard Peninsula.

Where to eat | where to sleep

The Talland Bay Hotel, in Porthallow, won us over with its exceptional location, offering stunning views over the bay and creating a tranquil and soothing atmosphere. The hotel also has beautiful gardens, perfect for a break in the fresh air, and is dog-friendly - Nelson, our Jack Russell, would have loved it! We enjoyed fine local cuisine in pleasant surroundings. However, we did have one minor problem with the hotel's decor, which seemed a little too busy and not necessarily to our taste. But all in all, the overall experience was very positive, thanks to the location and the warm welcome.

The Fisk Market in Looe is a resturant serving lovely seafood tapas.

→ LIZARD PENINSULA [3 nights]

On our penultimate day, we quickly explored Penzance, a charming town with a harbour atmosphere and lively little streets. We then had lunch in Newlyn, where fresh seafood was, as always, the order of the day (see Where to eat).

St Michel's Mount

The afternoon was devoted to discovering St Michael's Mount, a place that is both spectacular and steeped in history. This mount, crowned by a medieval castle and priory, has origins dating back to the VIIIᵉ century, when it was home to a Benedictine monastery linked to its French namesake, Mont-Saint-Michel. Over the centuries, it has played a military, religious and family role, becoming a private estate inhabited by the St Aubyn family for generations.

Reaching the island by boat, then returning on foot via the causeway discovered at low tide, added a touch of adventure to the visit. Once there, we explored the terraced gardens, the ramparts and the castle, which offers a panoramic view over the bay. A fascinating place, where history and legends intertwine.

St Ives

On our last day, we got off to a gentle start with a delicious scone in a charming little café in St Just, a convivial moment before taking the magnificent winding B3306 road. This route, with its views of the wild coastline, took us to St Ives, a town full of charm with its lively lanes, art galleries and seaside atmosphere. Although very touristy, St Ives is still a pleasure to explore.

At the end of the day, we headed back to the Lizard Peninsula to discover some iconic places: the peaceful Helford River, the spectacular Kynance Cove with its cliffs and white sandy beaches, and finally Lizard Point, the most southerly point in the UK, where the coastal scenery took our breath away one last time. A great way to round off this trip to British Cornwall.

Helford River

Kynance Cove

Lizard point

Where to eat | where to sleep

Polurrian on the Lizard enjoys a superb location, with magnificent sea views and easy access to Polurrian Cove beach. The setting is perfect for relaxing and enjoying the natural beauty of the area. We found the hotel very pleasant, but a little too large for our taste. Although it offers some nice modern facilities, the general atmosphere lacked a bit of the more intimate friendliness we were looking for. In addition, the restaurant, although bright and with a beautiful view, did not live up to our expectations, either for dinner or breakfast. It was unfortunately a little disappointing.

During our visit to Newlyn, we were lucky enough to discover the Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar a truly charming place where fresh seafood is the order of the day. The restaurant, with its relaxed atmosphere and warm welcome, won us over straight away. We opted for several small portions, inspired by tapas, so that we could try a bit of everything. The produce was impeccably fresh, prepared with care and really bringing out the flavours of the sea. If you're passing through Newlyn, don't miss this culinary experience: it's a real taste journey into the heart of local seafood, in an informal but terribly pleasant setting. For dessert, head next door to Jelbert’s Ice cream, where you'll be treated to a delicious local ice cream.

Cintra Seafood Bar in St Ives is a charming and welcoming restaurant specialising in local seafood. With a friendly atmosphere and carefully prepared dishes, it's the perfect place to enjoy fresh seafood while taking in the unique atmosphere of this coastal town.

For our last evening with the family, we chose the House on the Bay on the Lizard Peninsula. The setting, with its magnificent sea views, made the evening even more special. The warm, intimate atmosphere was perfect for enjoying a final meal together.

• What are you waiting for to discover this British region off the beaten track? •

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The articles and photos we publish in this blog belong to us, unless otherwise stated, so please be fair and don't use them without contacting us first...

Lofoten • Above the Arctic Circle [Norway] ENG

FR | ENG

We headed to the Far North through the Lofoten Islands in Norway, and for the first time above the Arctic Circle. We travelled through fjords and mountains, bridges and tunnels from Evenes to Å with a small 4x4 car equipped with studded tyres, which is essential in this region in February... let's go!

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→ KABELVÅG [ 3 nights ]

After a direct flight from Zurich to Evenes thanks to the travel agency Kontik, followed by a 2h30 drive from Evenes airport to Kabelvåg, we are finally in the north of Lofoten, ready to discover these fabulous landscapes.

Kabelvåg

A small, pleasant town south of Svolvaer, it has all the necessary amenities and is a good starting point for touring this part of the islands. You will not miss the large church, Vågan kirke, which is known as the cathedral of Lofoten. Built at the very end of the 19th century, it is the second largest wooden church in Norway and seats 1200.

Henningsvær

Take route 816 and lose yourself in the narrow streets of Henningsvær! Probably the most charming village in North Lofoten, with its canals, its fishermen, its codfish hanging everywhere in the village and its houses of all colours: water green, sky blue, pink, orange... Don't miss the famous football field on its rock, surrounded by the sea. We spent the afternoon walking around and waiting for the beautiful light of the sun shaving through the clouds.

“I am a true Lofoten cod because I was born in Henningsvær”

Road 815

To discover the island of Vestvågøy, you have to take the road 815 instead of the E10, more sinuous but more charming and less used. We have travelled it in both directions but each time with very bad weather. To discover it, you will have to come to Lofoten.

Haukland & Utakleiv Beaches

Here are two beautiful beaches on the north coast of the island of Vestvågøy... apart from the freezing temperature and the wind to decorate an ox... one could almost believe to be in the Caribbean... the water is turquoise, the sand white and so fine! A nice place for a walk, besides a walk connects the 2 beaches by the coast, count 4 kilometres of walk. Uttakleiv is, it seems, one of the most famous spots to enjoy the northern lights in winter or to admire the midnight sun in summer. Personally we preferred Haukland with its perfect sandy crescent.

Where to stay | Where ti eat in North Lofoten

KABELVÅG
Nyvågar Rorbuhotell is our first accommodation in Lofoten for 3 nights. Our rorbu, cosy as we want it to be, brings us comfort and warmth, with a view on the sea. A nice address outside the village centre. Don't forget to book a table at their restaurant Lorchstua.

HENNINGVAER
With a warm and friendly welcome, head to Fiskekrogen or a delicious fish soup overlooking the central village canal. Also in the centre of the village, if you need to warm up, make a stop at Kafé Lysstoperiet, for a good coffee and a lemon pie.

SVOLVAER
For a good evening meal, go to the chic Børsen Spiseri or the intimate Anker Bygge, two very good restaurants in the heart of the Lofoten capital. For our last night, after our stay in the south, we spent a night at Scandic Svolvær, we only recommend this address for a one night stay, as it is convenient to the city centre but without any charm.

→ REINE [ 3 nights ]

After 3 days in the northern part of the archipelago, we set off to the southern part of the archipelago, where we discovered the most famous villages and roads. During these 3 days around Reine we experienced all the "bad" weather possible with 2 timid rays of sun. The first day is punctuated by rain, the landscape is green and the summits still covered with snow. The second day we had a fine hail that whipped our face because the wind was strong. The last day, the snow is back and we finally discover the landscape under a nice white layer.

NusfJord

We leave the island of Vestvåg and drive to Flakstadøya. About 6 kilometres south of the E10, a small, steep road leads to the UNESCO World Heritage village of Nusfjord. Even though it is a very touristy place, it is a good stop on a road trip. Mostly bustling in the summer, in winter Nusfjord turns into a slow town. The horseshoe-shaped wooden pier is surrounded by dozens of yellow and red huts.

A stop at Nusfjord Landhandel, a shop and café in the heart of the town, is a must. The setting is beautiful, with a superb view of the sea and delicious cinnamon rolls.

Hamnøy

This village is probably one of the most photographed in the Lofoten Islands. In itself, not much to visit but an exceptional panorama in all weathers from the Hamnoy bridge with a view on the rorbus on stilts on the side of the rocks with the cliffs in background. Beware however of the strong wind on the bridge... it's moving!

Sakrisøy

Sakrisøy is a small village with a yellow house on an island at the entrance to the Reinefjorden, surrounded by two bridges. Stop here to enjoy the view of the mountains. There are some photo spots not to be missed. If the terrain allows it, and you have crampons in case of snow, you can climb up to Olenilsoya Fort on the Sakrisoy heights.

Right next to the Anitas Seafood restaurant is a yellow house with a distinctive pointed mountain in the background. This rorbu is available for rent and is called the Olstind in Sakrisøy. With the view it offers from the inside, needless to say, it is very busy. Booking several months in advance is essential.

Reine

Reine is one of the most famous villages in the archipelago. Its geographical location contributes to its charm as it is situated on a peninsula, surrounded by sea, islands and mountains. Before leaving the E10 to reach Reine, one can enjoy a beautiful view of its centre and the surrounding mountains from the Reine Foto Postal car park. The village is slightly larger than the others, making it a good base for accommodation and sightseeing. There are cafes, restaurants, supermarkets and a petrol station.

Sørvågen & Tind

Sørvågen and Tind are located a little further south, towards the village of Å. The setting is cute and much less touristy than in Å.

Å

Sometimes also called Å i Lofoten (which is its old name), the village called Å, which is pronounced "Ô", is the southernmost in the archipelago. It marks the end of the E10 road that runs through the entire archipelago. The village is also known for its fishing museum and the Stockfish museum, where you can learn about old-fashioned fishing methods. To park, you have to go through the tunnel, there is a large car park just after. Unfortunately, we walked through it in the pouring rain... Our cameras did not come out of our bags...

On the way back...

On our way back north we stopped often, as the snow had finally fallen and the landscape changed from green to stormy white.

Selfjorden

Between Fredvang and Hamnøy, Selfjorden is beautiful because it is surrounded by mountains and is very tight. Park on the side of the road and wait for a small boat to pass by...

Fredvang Bridges

Despite a very strong wind, our drone nicknamed "Viking The Warrior" managed to capture the view of the 2 bridges of Fredvang.

Ramberg & Flakstad

Continuing up the E10 road in the archipelago, stops should be made at Ramberg and Flakstad. Both municipalities are close to white sandy beaches. In Ramberg, we discover on its beach, the Rambergstranda, a red fishing hut, particularly photogenic. It is a well-known photo spot in the Lofoten Islands.

Another hut, much less touristy, is located between Ramberg and Flakstad. A small path leads off the E10 road and in a few minutes you are facing the raging sea in a small hut with a table, a mat and fire-making equipment... just a few logs missing.

The beach at Flakstad, surrounded by mountains, is called Skagsanden. Nearby is a church, the Flakstad Kirke, all red and in an impressive setting.

Where to stay | where to eat in South Lofoten

REINE
Reine Rorbuer is the little cocoon where we stayed for 3 nights in a traditional red fisherman's house in the middle of the steep peaks and by the sea. This cosy little cottage, all made of wood, allowed us to roam around and also to be protected from the weather while being in the centre of the various points of interest. Be sure to book a table at their restaurant Gammelbua with a "fireside" atmosphere. And if you want to enjoy a good slice of carrot cake for your 4 hours, go to the Kaffebar Bringen in the heart of the village.

SAKRISØY
At Anitas Seafood, taste their famous fishburgers filled with shrimps, salmon and cod and browse their shop with products made in Sakrisøy: smoked salmon and trout with juniper, marinated salmon, smoked halibut, stockfish, dried and salted cod, caviar...

HAMNØY
For Italian-Norwegian cuisine, head to Gadus Nortic Trattoria in a cosy atmosphere with a view of the chef.

SØRVÅGEN
Maren Anna restaurant is located in the harbour of Sørvågen, book a table for a very good cod dish.

RAMBERG
Kafe Friisgarden is a good place to recharge your batteries after braving the cold of the Ramberg and Flakstad beaches with a good waffle and a good coffee!

→ SVOLVAER [ 1 night ]

Here we are back in the north after a week of wandering, with all this beautiful snow and finally a ray of sunshine, we don't want to leave again... We will still enjoy our 2h30 drive to the airport to take in the sights. To see our good addresses, go back to the chapter "where to stay | where to eat in North Lofoten".

• tonight the catch of the day is… Cod •

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→ The essentials in your suitcase

For a trip to Lofoten in winter, you need to be prepared for all kinds of weather, from sun to blizzard to rain.

• neck warmer, hat and gloves

• waterproof and warm snow boots

• hand and foot warmers

• warm clothing

• waterproof and windproof jacket and trousers

• thermos with a good hot tea

• light shoe crampons that are easy to carry because they can really slip

• headlamp

• of course your camera

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Here is the reference of the road map, even if there are not many roads, it is always a pleasure for us to travel with a road map and plan each evening the itinerary of the next day.

For the guidebook it is obviously the Lonely Planet Norway guidebook that we took with us (even if honestly the part on Lofoten deserves a little more details).

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The articles and photos we publish in this blog belong to us, unless otherwise stated, so please don't use them without contacting us first…

Cyclades & Athens • Santorin, Milos, Serifos [Greece] ENG

FR | ENG

Here is our 2nd trip of the year 2022 through islands, after the Faroe Islands in June, we are this time much further south in September ... Kalimera the Cyclades!
Below, you will find the map of the Cyclades and the 3 islands we chose to visit... This is not an exhaustive choice, because each one has its particularities and its charms. We started with Santorini, because there is a direct flight from Geneva and we still wanted to see once in our life this beautiful volcanic island despite the mass tourism. We then continued our journey via ferry to Milos, with its lunar landscape and colorful fishing villages. Serifos, secret and beautiful, will be our last Cycladic stop before reaching the boiling Athens.

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→ SANTORIN [4 nights]

It is with apprehension that we land in Santorini... Why did we give in to mass tourism? Are we really going to enjoy this step? A lot of questioning when we arrived, but after 3 days spent on this magnificent volcanic island, here are the advices we can give you: come out of season, get off the beaten track, don't stay focused on the tourist spots, because there are plenty of beautiful pearls to discover, and get up early to enjoy the spots without "almost" anyone.

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Fira

Fira, the main town of the island, is our first encounter with the typical landscape of Santorini: a white village clinging to the side of the cliff overlooking the Caldera, the crater of the volcano. The view is spectacular, with these rocky cliffs, the blue of the sea and these white villages. One piece of advice to take full advantage of the view and to stroll quietly in its pretty streets, come early, before 10 am before the horde of tourists from the ferries arrives.

Pyrgos

Here is one of our favorite villages, Pyrgos is located on the highest part of the island, it has a quiet animation, with its bars and restaurants. We appreciate its views over the whole island of Santorini and strolling through its narrow streets.

Emporiou

A village not to be missed... A little secret, even intimate with this mixture of white, blue and orange colors which gives all its particularity and its graphic lines that we like. Not to be missed under any circumstances, a stop at the small traditional café, To Kafenedaki Tou Emporiou, where we could taste local specialties... A delight suspended in time and sheltered from mass tourism.

Perissa beach

We couldn't do without a trip to the beach. We chose the long black sand beach of Perissa to bask in the sun... But Santorini has other beaches on the southern part of the island like: Red Beach, White Beach and other black sand beaches like Vlychada and Perivolos.

Oia

The most famous village of Santorini, Oia (pronounced ia), but also one of the most touristic. We decided not to visit Oia in the evening at sunset but to prefer the dawn. The village was "almost empty" with a pinkish hue in the sky. After wandering around the village, enjoying the view of the windmills and watching the sun rise, we take advantage of this moment to have a coffee and a Greek yogurt at Vitrin Cafe. When private shootings of women dressed in flying red dresses appear, it's time to leave, with beautiful images in our heads.

walk fira-oia

If there is a walk to do on Santorini, it is the one from Fira to Oia. However, staying just north of Imerovigli on the way of the hike (see chapter "where to stay"), we followed the path in the evening from our hotel (Caldera's Memories) to Fira (about 1h30 round trip) and a second time at dawn to Oia (about 4h round trip). This second part is the wildest and allows you to walk along the whole edge of the Caldera. Be careful though, it can be very hot, almost no shade on the path and the black stone accentuates this feeling. Don't forget to hang a drink, to wear a hat, to put sun cream and of course to admire the view all along the way. To avoid walking back, you can also take the bus directly back to Fira.

Imerovigli & Skaros rock

Not far from our hotel is the chic Imerovigli, more intimate than Fira and Oia, here is a place of peace and quiet facing an incredible view at sunset. Not to be missed, the walk to the Skaros Rock below the village, and to enjoy a sunset almost alone, we continued our journey to the charming Mother of Lord Theskepasti church below the rock.

Where to stay | where to eat

Thanks to Virgine's advice, we stayed at Caldera’s Memories at the first part of Imerovigli on the hiking trail from Fira to Oia, without breaking our piggy bank. This comfortable hotel has a magnificent view on the Caldera and Oia in the distance, the welcome is very warm and the à la carte breakfast is delicious... the only drawback is that there is no bar or restaurant, which is a pity because we would have appreciated to have an aperitif and to admire the sunset in this intimate place with this magnificent view.

If there is one restaurant not to be missed during your trip to Santorini it is Five Senses in Imerovigli. The view of the Caldera and Skaros Rock, the location, the decoration, but most of all the quality of the food transported us in a gustatory delight... an authentic last evening on Santorini.

You will have understood, despite our apprehensions about mass tourism, we do not regret these few days on Santorini to discover its villages and its viewpoints.

→ MILOS [ 4 nights ]

After a 2 hour ferry ride, we disembark at the beautiful port of Adamas, on the island of Milos. After picking up our white Panda 4x4, nicknamed White Dunkey, we follow our host to our accommodation in Fourkovouni. It is a completely different island that we discover, more quiet, certainly tourist, but we have this impression to have really arrived in Greece.

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Fishermen's villages

Milos is known for its many fishing villages with colorful houses, the Syrmata. Just take your car and drive to the north of the island to Klima, Fyropotamos and Mandrakia to enjoy the view. Do not miss a meal at Medusa in Mandrakia to taste a sun-dried octopus.

Sarakiniko

Welcome to the moon... or on a meringue... the choice is yours! Sarakiniko on the northern coast of Milos is a place with amazing white volcanic rock formations, kaolinite, polished by winds and waters for millions of years. The place attracts a lot of people, but it is worth the detour and allows for lounging and swimming (when the sea is not too rough) via the very small beach at the bottom of the channel.

Milos has other beautiful beaches to visit: in the north the magnificent beach of Plathiena and its pretty hut and in the south-east of Milos the beaches such as Fyriplaka, Tsigrado, Gerakas... It only remains to choose the one you prefer... We especially enjoyed our semi-private cove in Fourkovouni.

Plaka & Adamas

The main village of Plaka, is a concentrate of the Cycladic ideal with its winding streets, white houses, cafes and typical restaurants. Come here in the evening for the sunset from the Kastro, on the hill at the top of Plaka. Don't miss a breakfast at Palaios coffee & Pastry and a dinner at Archontoula in the heart of the village. At the port of Adamas, we particularly enjoyed the restaurant Kynigos served by the old owner who showed us some nice specialties.

Where to stay

For this 2nd stage, we stay in a Syrmata, in the small bay of Fourkovouni, welcome to Capt. Nikolas. t is an experience to live, because the house is 100% ecological, powered exclusively by solar panels and with a gravity water system. We loved the place, the intimacy, the private bay, but we don't recommend room n°II, prefer room n°I despite the fact that the sanitary facilities are outside or if you stay a week, break your piggy bank to rent the whole Syrmata just next door, The Cove Beach House.

→ SERIFOS [ 4 nights ]

After a 1 hour ferry ride, we disembark at the port of Livadi, here we go for 4 nights on the pretty and intimate Serifos, we are far from mass tourism and it feels good... So after getting our mini coach (3rd white dunkey of the trip), we are ready to slow down the pace.

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Chora

The magnificent perched village of the island of Serifos. We see it as soon as we arrive at the port of Livadi and attracts us like a magnet. We enjoy strolling through its narrow streets, its mini squares with its cafes and its many stairs to the castle. Take the time to stroll and get lost in its alleys... come early in the morning, late in the evening or even during the day... and just enjoy.

Beaches

All around the island you will find beautiful beaches, the most beautiful of our stay without a doubt. Just rent a car and follow the circular road with your bathing suit, a picnic and your laundry and off you go: Agios Ammos Bay, Psilis Ammos Bay, Platys Gialos Bay, Sikamia Beach, Paralia Skala, Ganema Bay, Vagia Bay? chapter "where to stay") Agios Sostis Bay... wild, intimate, with a small church so as not to forget that we are in the Cyclades.

Island tour

Besides the beautiful beaches, you will find other sights all around the island. The Taxiarchon monastery in the north of the island and the iron mine ruins in the south of the island.

Where to stay | where to eat

In Serifos, we wanted to stay at the Coco Mat Serifos in the bay of Vagia, but for this last week of September, it was already closed. Finally it is at the Hôtel Rize that we put our bags. A nice discovery because better placed, a few minutes from the lively port of Livadi, with a breathtaking view of the Chora of Serifos. We recommend it with closed eyes, because of its location, its warm welcome by all the staff.

In Chora, we discover in the local tavern Marathoriza,offering dishes that we had not yet seen on other menus: stuffed calamari, potato and dill salad, caper salad. In the small church square, there are many cafes and cocktail bars with colorful Greek chairs to try. In Livadi, you will be spoilt for choice, but we have chosen restaurants with fish such as Kali Seafood and Takis.

→ ATHENS [ 3 nights ]

We leave the Cyclades with the heavy heart and with a certain apprehension to finish our journey by a big city. But these 2 days in Athens allowed us to visit, to feel, to live, to roam through the center and its numerous historical sites.

Acropolis & Philopappos Hill

Of course, you can't come to Athens without visiting the Acropolis. We decided to come at the end of the day to catch the last rays of sun. Of course, it's crowded but it's a once in a lifetime experience. To see the Acropolis under its best angle, in the middle of nature and in all tranquillity, we advise you to climb the hill of Philopappos in front of it... an incredible 360° view on the whole city.

Panathenaic Stadium

This stadium, "stadium of all Athenians" is an ancient stadium of Athens, renovated for the 1st Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896. Its usual name in Greek, Kallimármaro "of a beautiful marble", refers to the marble with which it is covered. The elongated track is typical of the ancient stadium, about 200m long, with a very tight curve. It is located between two hills covered with pine trees, a beautiful place to imagine the athlete of tomorrow...

Street Art Guided Tour

To discover a more actual Athens, we undertake to participate in a guided tour "Street Art" with Alternative Athens. A great way to explore the neighborhoods with a guide and feel the pulse of the city. We recommend to do this tour at the beginning of your stay, so you can return to the place later.

Where to stay

For these 2 days in Athens, the Coco-Mat Athens-Jumelle Hotel is our home base. Located in the business and embassy district, a bit out of the tourist area, it is nevertheless surrounded by several nice restaurants and cafes frequented by locals and travelers alike. Also within walking distance are the Soldier's Monument, Syntagma Square, the Botanical Gardens and the Presidential Grade.

• Sun, sea, perched villages... Greece as we imagine it •

Thanks to Virginie, Freelance at TUI, for the organization of this trip.
Don't forget to download our map on the application mapst n order to discover all our addresse.

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The articles and photos we publish in this blog belong to us, unless otherwise stated, so be fair, do not use them without contacting us furst...

Faroe Islands • So far away [Danemark] ENG

FR | ENG

Let's go for a destination like no other... 9 years after Iceland, we wanted to find the nature of the great north, the green spaces as far as the eye can see, because indeed here the legend says that there are more sheep than inhabitants... The Faroe Islands are 18 steep islands, like big rocks in the North Atlantic, somewhere between the Shetland Islands and Iceland. It's a wild, stormy land with half the sunshine of home. So here we are, on a 10-day roadtrip through the Faroe Islands in our hybrid RAV4, nicknamed Bou-bou (because it's muddy). It's a real treat for lovers of wide open spaces and wind!

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→ Sørvágur, Vágar Island [ 3 nights ]

Let's go for our 2 days on Vágar Island... this island may not be the most spectacular from a cliffs point of view but it is full of beautiful sights.

Bøur

Bøur, a tiny village a few kilometres from Sørvágur, is our first glimpse of the turf roofs that are characteristic of these islands. A sod roof, sometimes called a peat roof, is a traditional Scandinavian type of green roof, consisting of sods laid on layers of birch bark. The turf is used as a reasonably effective insulator in a cold climate and the birch bark underneath ensures that the roof is waterproof.

All that's left is for us to wander around the village, respecting the privacy of the inhabitants and enjoying the best view, a little far away, of Drangarnir, the famous rock-arch off Vágar Island.

Drangarnir

The famous rock... it is visible from the road at the village of Bøur, but 2 other options are possible. You can either pass by it on your way back from Mykines island by boat or you can book a guide to do the walk from Sørvágur to the tip of Vágar... you will be face to face with this magnificent natural curioté. Unfortunately the weather on our 2nd day in the Faroes made us give up the visit of Mykines and the walk to Drangarnir... Next time maybe?

Gásadalsgardur | Múlafossur

Just north of Vágar, the road dead-ends at the village of Gásadalsgardur after passing through our first one-lane tunnel of our Faroese journey with Bou-bou (pictured above). The village is not particularly interesting except for a quick coffee and a slice of carrot cake at Café Fjorooy. What is worth the diversions is to walk along the cliff, to take a deep breath of air and to finish the mini hike by the Múlafossur waterfall.

LeItisvatn | lac suspendu

Another highlight of the Faroes is to see the hanging lake. Lake Leitisvatn is the largest lake in the Faroes, a lake perched on a cliff 30 metres above sea level. The view of the sea and the lake is accessible from a small car park above Miðvágur. The path is very well maintained but there is a fee for the right of way (25CHF per person). A short hour's walk will take you to a breathtaking view...

Beware that even if the walk is easy and not particularly difficult, the weather conditions are so variable that we left with a beautiful sunny jumper and returned with overcast weather, an almost unbearable wind and with all our layers on. So never forget that here you can experience all 3 seasons in just a few hours.

Sandavàgur

A nice village with a huge church and a good restaurant, the Fiskastykkið... A stop which allows us to observe the houses, the grass roofs and to slow down the rhythm... It is rare to meet Faroese walking around... everything seems to be suspended, stopped, in pause...

Trøllkonufinfur

South of Sandavàgur, a road and then a track brings us to the viewpoint. Trøllkonufingur, which means the finger of the troll woman, is a 313 m high monolith. Legend has it that Trøllkonufingur is the finger of a witch who came to Iceland from the Faroe Islands. When she reached the sea south of Vágar, the sun rose and she was turned into stone and fell into the ocean. She was so big that when she reached the bottom of the sea, the back of her head and her finger were above the surface. The back of her head is the island of Koltur, and her finger is Trøllkonufingur.

Where to stay | where to eat

In order to land smoothly and have a cocoon in case of bad weather (which was the case on our 2nd day... super storm with rain at the horzontal and unbearable wind) we decided to stay at Cottage By The Sea. Five cottages on the water's edge, fully equipped and cosy... nothing better to take refuge and feel at home.

There are not many places to eat on the island of Vágar (as on all the islands except the capital Torshavn). One address not to be missed but open only during the day is the Fiskastykkið, A good fish soup, nice desserts and a delicious coffee... all in a friendly atmosphere, with an authentic and neat decoration. Otherwise, in Sørvágur, you can go to Café Pollastova where the welcome is very friendly but the menu is rather limited or you can just cook yourself a small dish after having gone to PE Sørvágur or Bònus in Miðvágur.

→ Gjògv, Eysturoy Island [ 2 nights ]

We leave Vágar Island in the direction of Gjògv on the island of Eysturoy, but on the way we make a short diversions to the north of the island of Streymoy to discover some typical localities.

Saksun, Streymoy island

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Another highlight of the Faroe Islands is the remote village-museum of Saksun. Its grass-roofed houses set in a natural circular amphitheatre overlooking a tidal lagoon is a lovely half-day destination. In the fjord at the foot of the village is a lagoon where, at low tide, it is possible to walk along the sandy shore. The village has a church, built in 1858, and Dúvugarðar, a working farm which also serves as a museum. However, beware of the many restrictions: no droning in the village, no walking on the lawn... it feels like the few tourists here are already too many for the 14 inhabitants of the village... Too bad!

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Fossá, Streymoy Island

On the way to Tjørnuvik, you will pass by this beautiful double waterfall. The view on the other side of the island of Esturoy is even better.

Tjørnuvik, Streymoy Island

Finally arrived at Tjørnuvik... we are at the northernmost point of the main island of Streymoy. The village is located at the bottom of a deep talweg, mostly in the shade, but has a sandy beach (quite rare in the Faroes) with a nice view on the two stacks named Risin and Kellingin.

A little surprise, a gentleman with his children offers us a good coffee and a waffle with rhubarb jam and whipped cream on tables outside... an unexpected delight.

EidI, Eysturoy Island

We turn back for a few kilometres to Eysturoy Island and take the opposite road from the fjord to reach the village of Eidi. Here, the sight to see is the football field transformed into a camping area by the ocean.

We continue our way to Gjògv, through the pass at the foot of Slættaratindur, the highest mountain in the Faroes. Unfortunately because of the weather... damn fog... we decide not to climb it... At this point, we say to ourselves that we will try again the next day...

Gjògv, Eysturoy Island

The charming village of Gjògv is located on the northernmost part of the island of Esturoy. The village has a guesthouse and a café right next to the natural harbour. To enjoy the view and to see shearwaters, you have to climb the cliff from the café... you'll have to warm up your calves!

By staying 2 nights in Gjògv, we thought we would have a weather window to climb Slættaratindur, but it's only a postponement... we take advantage of this mystical weather to walk in the surrounding villages... don't miss the charming little village of Elduvik and the church in Funningur

Elduvik, Eysturoy Island

Funningur, Eysturoy Island

Not far from Gjògv, on the other side of the pass, in the small village of Funningur, there is a pretty black church covered with grass and with a natural wooden interior.

Where to stay | where to eat

Here too the possibilities are limited in terms of accommodation and restaurants. But there is the inevitable Gjògv Guesthouse whose restaurant is worth a visit... well, we eat seafood! But I advise you even if you are staying there to book your table, as people come from all over to try their delicious food.

Another nice address on the way to EidI, Rose's restaurant, Rose’s Café, where we had a delicious fish of the day and a very good carrot cake.

→ Klaksvik, Bordoy Island [ 2 nights ]

Change of island, we leave Eysturoy, to join the northern ones. We take our second tunnel under the Atlantic... these constructions are just impressive and slightly frightening.

Viðareiði, Viðoy Island

We continue to the far north of the country to Viðareiði, the northernmost village at the foot of Villingdalsfjall. We decide to climb it, but we know that if the clouds at the top don't disappear by magic, the summit will be inaccessible. However, there are markers indicating the way (this is not always the case on hikes in the Faroes, which sometimes makes it difficult to undertake a hike in bad weather, as it is extremely easy to get lost). The view of the islands is magnificent, one can only imagine the view from the fog-free summit and the Enniberg cliff, the 2nd highest in Europe.

Kunoy, Kunoy island

After our day on the island of Viðoy, we go back to the village of Kunoy on the island of the same name. It is Sunday... We discover families having a good time bathing in the river.

Klaksvik, Bordoy Island

Back to Klalsvik where we will spend the 2 nights. But we are a bit disappointed by this town. It is surrounded by beautiful hills and to appreciate it you have to climb a bit. However the city as such, offers little animation: restaurant, café, bar... everything seems closed whereas we are in full month of June in 2nd city of the country.

Phare de Kallur, Kalsoy Island

It was with excitement that we waited for the right weather day to go on an excursion to Kalsoy Island. Accessible by ferry in 20 minutes from Klaksvik, one must however be prepared to... either get up very early to park one's car in pole position on the ferry loading lines, as only 12 cars can undertake the trip. No reservation is possible and knowing that locals have priority until 15 minutes before departure (we arrived 2 hours before... because from our room we could see the number of cars already waiting... and Bou-bou was the 11th car to board... phew the passengers of the 20 following cars were quite disappointed). Another option in case of overcrowding, you can always walk up to the ferry and then take the shuttle that crosses the island of Kalsoy to the village of Trøllanes. Starting point for the unmarked walk from Kallur lighthouse.

The walk to the Kallur lighthouse is not long, about 40 minutes, but there is no real path, the way can be very muddy and slippery. But this little walk is really worth it... we are lucky with the weather this time and can see the village of Gjògv, the two stacks called Risin and Kellingin in the distance and on the other side the cliffs of Enniberg and Villingdalsfjall.

We stayed almost the whole day, letting the tourists who were with us on the first ferry go and finding ourselves almost alone to enjoy this incredible nature... and also, spoiler alert, James Bond's grave. Yes, Kalsoy island was one of the shooting locations of the last James Bond movie "No Time to Die".

Another curiosity of the island, before going back to the ferry, we stop to see Kópakonan, the seal-woman. Too bad the little café next door, Café Eðge, was closed... we would have liked to extend our day here until the last ferry of the day.

Where to stay | where to eat

We stayed at Hotel Klaksvik… except that we had the huge 70's style bridal room with a headboard with a built-in radio-cassette and the view on the fjord and the ferry departure... We did not fall under the charm of this hotel. I would advise to find an AirBnB or a room at the inhabitant's. It must be said that here also, the offer of accommodation is not huge as far as restaurants are concerned. We were also disappointed, except at the Café Fríða and their delicious pies.

→ Suduroy Island [ 2 nights ]

Today is the longest leg of our journey to the southernmost island of the archipelago, Suduroy. The ferry from the capital Torshavn takes us there with the car in 2 hours. Before taking the ferry at the end of the afternoon, we will take the opportunity to make some stops, small lighthouse of Leirvik, tunnel of Eysturoy and a nice afternoon in the capital of Torshavn.

Eysturoy Tunnel

On the way to Torshavn, from the northern islands, don't miss the tunnel under the Athlantic with a roundabout... yes yes it's not a typo... unfortunately impossible to take a nice picture, so to discover it there is only one way to go.

Akraberg, Île suduroy

We arrived on the island of Suduroy after 2 hours of ferry... here the atmosphere is a little bit different... but the few restaurants, tells us that we are still in the Faroes.

For our first evening, the sky opens up and we decide to go to the southern tip of the island to discover the Akraberg lighthouse... we are almost alone with our sheep, it's blowing, it's not very hot but the sunset is magnificent.

Beinisvord, Suduroy Island

On the way back to Vágur, we decided not to take the new road with the tunnel, but the winding track up to Beinisvord between Sumba and Lopra... we almost turned back because the fog was so dense until the light became... a real sight.

Rituskor & Àsmundarstakkur, Suduroy Island

The next day, for this full day of Suduroy, we have several excuses on our wish-list, we start by going to the very north of the island to Sandvik to walk to the famous spots, Rituskor & Asmundarstakkur, we spent some time to make some pictures while apprehending the site but fighting the elements... wind & fog. It was a great time and we would have stayed longer if the rain hadn't intensified...

But little question... would you have crossed the little bridge?

The rest of the day was spent in the vicinity of Vágur and Hof looking for nice photo spots with the fishermen's huts, but unfortunately we couldn't go for a walk to the Hvannhaga lake due to the weather.

Famjin, Suduroy Island

Before taking the ferry back to the capital, we still have Famjin to discover, the road itself is beautiful after the climb from Oravik. But here one comes especially to discover the 1st flag of the Faroes, which is in the small church of the village.

Where to stay | where to eat

We stayed in a lovely BnB, Brim in Vágur. The decoration is nice, neat and Nordic style, the breakfast delicious... small downside... you hear absolutely everything that happens in the house.

For the restaurants it is again a bit complicated, we tested the Bàran fried food bar and the Matstovan Gardslon restaurant in Vágur whose welcome was very nice despite our difficulties in communicating.

→ Tórshavn [ 1 night ]

Here we go, unfortunately, for the last stage of our road trip... back to the main island for our night in the capital.

Tórshavn, Streymoy Island

Our last afternoon will be spent in the small capital of the Faroes... I don't think we have ever seen such a cute centre... it feels like another time... the historical centre is very well preserved and still houses the government administration and houses... we enjoy walking around this nice part of the city and drinking a coffee in the café-library Paname Café, before heading to our hotel for our last night.

Where to stay | where to eat in Tórshavn

Our last night was spent in the chic Hafnia Hotel… very well located at 2 steps from the centre and the port... Enjoy our nice room "where is Waldo?"... We let you search a little before giving you the answer... (see end of the article).

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For the aperitif, head to Mikkeller, where we then sampled several Danish craft beers, before treating ourselves to a delicious fish meal (finally) at Barbara Fish House.

Nodradalur, Streymoy island

Before returning our Bou-bou to the airport, we take the old road from Toshavn to Leynar with a small diversions to Nordadalur to enjoy again the landscapes we will soon leave.

Leynar, Streymoy island

Here is our roadtrip ends, thanks to Virginie for the organization of this beautiful trip. It closes on a beautiful note, because we met at the airport Anne & Vincent, acquaintances who thanks to this return trip will become very good friends... We had to meet by chance in the Faroes so that we could take the time to get to know each other better and discover our common passions for travel and images. We look forward to seeing you again, friends, see you soon!

• Fog, wind & sheep... a breath of fresh air guaranteed ! •

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→ the essentials in your bag

For a trip to the Faroe Islands you need to have in your hiking bag: everything to experience the 3 seasons in one day (for a trip in June, no risk of snow): sun, intense fog, wind & rain! But if you are well equipped... it's only happiness!

• waterproof jacket

• waterproof overtrousers

• gloves, hat, neck warmer

• thermos & picnic

• waterproof walking shoes (and not white ones like Tracy's... as the ground is quite muddy)

• your camera

• a pair of binoculars for bird watching

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→ for a next time if the weather is good...

There are still a lot of places to discover and walk... the weather being very changeable, with a dancing but often omnipresent fog and hiking trails mostly unmarked... We knew that sometimes we had to give up some discoveries... So if the weather allows it, don't hesitate to put on your walking shoes for the following highlights

• The ascent of Slættaratindur, the highest point of the Faroe Islands, reaching 880 m in altitude. It is customary to climb it on 21 June, the summer solstice, to watch the sun set and wait just a few hours for the sun to rise again.

• A day on the island of Mykines, an undisputed paradise for the beautiful puffins.

• The hike to Cape Enniberg, which is located at the northern tip of the island of Vidoy. Its vertical wall, 754 m above the Atlantic, is the second highest promontory in Europe. At its base is the Seyðtorva Arch, which is the northernmost point of the Faroe Islands.

• Hike to the heart-shaped lake, Vatnsdalsvatn, on the island of Vagar.

• The hike to the famous "island rock", Dranganir, the Faroese emblem, which can only be done with a local guide.

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This is the map reference and the only guidebook (in English) dedicated to the Faroe Islands. You will also find a lot of practical information on the official Faroe Islands website: Visit Faroe Islands.

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Did you find Waldo?

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The articles and photos we publish in this blog belong to us, unless otherwise stated, so please don't use them without contacting us first...

Dolomiti • Ciao Veneto & Südtyrol [Italia] ENG

FR | ENG

For the 2nd time this year (and our 3rd roadtrip in total), we are again in the Dolomites but this time in October... This region always attracts us, because there are so many beautiful things to see and do, we never get tired of it. You will tell us: "But you are Swiss, you also have beautiful mountains at home?" It's true, but there is something different in the Dolomites, this Austrian and Italian mix, the good Italian food, the good espresso whether you are in a nice hotel or in a high malga/hütte... and especially these grandiose landscapes between verticality of the rock and forests of fir trees, larches and pines... in short you will have understood... we love this region.

For this 3rd roadtrip, we wanted to come back to some spots we discovered in September 2019 and also discover new valleys and regions. As for the other articles, you will find the stages in the order of our roadtrip by indicating the nights in order to facilitate the creation of your trip. Below the map with the highlights. At the end of this article you will find the links to the other Dolomites roadtrips of September 2019 and June 2021.

→ Venezia [ 3 nights ]

Let's go for 2 weeks in Veneto and Alto Adige. To start our roadtrip direction Venezia! We had been there 10 years ago... but this city is so particular that each visit is always a total wonder.

In this article, we are not going to detail our visit, because we realize that during 3 days we just wandered in the city, passing from a small alley to another, in order to discover the less touristy corners of this city on the water. "Thanks" to the sanitary situation, there were less tourists and the city was pleasant.

Vaporetto n°1

Tip... To do sightseeing on the water at a competitive price compared to the cab boat and the gondolas... We advise you to take the vaporetto n°1 at Piazza Roma, that is to say at the very end of the city, and if possible outside of rush hours, to find a seat at the front of the boat and to continue to the terminus on the Lido island. You will have crossed the entire Grand Canal and seen the Doge's Palace and the docks from the lagoon.... for only 7.50 Euros (valid for 75 minutes).

Rooftop Fondaco dei Tedeschi

If, like us, you are a fan of aerial views of the city... Go to the Rooftop of the chic Fondaco dei Tedeschi store (by the way, the inside of the store is also worth a visit). The access is free but you have to book the time slot because it's only accessible for 15 minutes and with a limited number of people... The Fondaco dei Tedeschi store is at the foot of the Rialto bridge (vaporetto Rialto or Mercato Rialto stop) and here is the link to make your booking.

Acqua Alta

We were lucky enough to witness the phenomenon of Acqua Alta... which has become rarer thanks to the MOSE dykes that have been built at the entrance of the bay of Venice. Of course, the Acqua Alta was not impressive, but it was powerful enough to flood almost the entire San Marco square, the lowest part of Venice. This allowed us to play with the reflections for our pictures with the Basilica and the Campanile.

Hôtel H10 Palazzo Canova

We stayed in this beautiful hotel super central ... a few meters from the Rialto. A beautiful address because everything is quickly accessible on foot whether it is the district of San Marco, Dorsoduro, San Polo, il mercato del Rialto and il Cannaregio with its Ghetto. The decoration all in blue duck, blue sky and mustard ... makes the hotel modern while keeping a muffled and velvety aspect. A little extra, a rooftop terrace... think of booking to have a table in the first row with a view on the Grand Canal and the Rialto and a very pleasant inner courtyard for breakfast. The prices are not given but they often make offers except weekend.

→ Cortina D’Ampezzo [ 3 nights ]

Let's get down to business... after 2h30 of driving we are finally back in the Dolomites and the beautiful Cortina that we discovered in 2019. The thermal shock is however radical because from the sun of Venice to the snow of Cortina there was only one step. But we are ready to discover the surroundings of Cortina during 3 days!

Passo Giau

A pass that we had not had the opportunity to do 2 years ago! This time, it is under the snow and the cold of this beginning of October that we discover this pass and its magnificent landscapes. We are not going to hide it, the wind is strong and the cold is icy... but we are happy to be outside, to brave the elements!

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

This morning, the weather is still quite cloudy... we decide to go to the 3 Cime di Lavaredo, which we had already done in 2019 under a bright sun... but today the weather is cloudier... but above all the snow has covered the summits... so we wanted to see again the emblem of the Dolomites under a white coat... For the description of the hike, I let you read the article from 2019 here.

Croda da Lago & Lago Federa

The sun is back... early but icy departure towards the Lago Federa. We park on the Passo Giau at the Rucurto parking. Then we follow the path n°437, then 434 until the lake... it's a dry climb, but the walk is beautiful through the larches with the view on the Cinque Torri, il Passo Giau, Cortina, il Sorapis, the Tofane and the 3 Cime in the background... Arrived at the lake, we take our time to take some pictures and play with the mirror effect with il Becco di Mezodi We eat outside at the Croda da Lago refuge in the sun... a real moment of pleasure... it changes from the weather of the 2 previous days... we enjoy it.We decide then to go up to Forcella Ambrizola via the path n°434 to get closer to the Becco of Mezodi and to realize the loop of the Croda da Lago via the path n°435. Arrived at the foot of the Becco of Mezodi the view opens on an altipiano... with a beautiful luminosity. Then we meet some Italian hikers who warn us about the practicability of the path n°435 because of the snow. Being well loaded with the photographic material and the tiredness at the level of the legs being nevertheless quite present, we decide to turn back and not to tempt the devil.

It's with regret that we go back down the same way... but a nice surprise is waiting for us, a magnificent light on the Lago de Federa even if completely in the shade, the evening sun illuminating the Becco de Mezodi giving an impressive mirror effect.

San Brite

Two years ago we had spotted it but this year... We anticipated and booked well in advance! What to say about this restaurant with 1 Michelin star... You have to go there to understand, but we were transported gustatively in a walk through the forest... a real trip! We enjoyed the moment without wanting to take pictures of the whole atmosphere... So you just have to discover by yourself, because we recommend it without any hesitation, if you are curious... Book a table at the San Brite.

Lodge Alverà

Back to the wonderful accommodation we discovered in 2019... the Dolomiti Lodge Alverà, a magnificent lodge with only 10 rooms, a breathtaking view of the Tofane, a modern but mountainous style & a divine restaurant... and this year's novelty: a SPA floor with sauna, hamam, resting area and a beautiful heated outdoor pool... welcome after the cold we had to face the first few days in Cortina.

→ San Candido [ 2 nights ]

Second stage in the Dolomites the Val Pusteria. We had already been there in 2019 but in a short stay, so this time it will be 2 nights (it's really a minimum) to discover Prato Piazza, San Candido, Dobbiaco and rediscover the Lago di Braies. From here on we speak German, even if everyone understands Italian... We are no longer in Veneto, but in Süd Tyrol... Grüss Gott!

Prato Piazza

This morning departure for Prato Piazza, a place less known by tourists. We leave by car to reach the parking Prato Piazza! Be careful, this parking is not free (10 euros) and the places are limited... so come early. But don't panic, if the parking lot is full, you can leave the car at the Ponticello parking lot and take the shuttle.

Once parked... it is gone for a magnificent day... the cold stings but it is good to be outside! We take the wide path towards the Rifugio Vallandro... we discover little by little a pretty meadow with mini chalets, which make us think of the Alpe di Siusi in miniature. Arrived at the Rifugio Vallandro, we make a small stop to drink an espresso before beginning the ascent to the Monte Spiece through the pines, a pretty path of excursion n°34 that leaves directly behind the refuge.

Arrived at the top of the Monte Specie at 2300m an imposing sight on the 3 Cime di Lavaredo offers itself to us... we will take the time to make one 10h and to lie down in the meadows to contemplate the sight before going down again and to restore itself to the Almhütte Plätzwiese.

San Candido

San Candido... for me one of the most charming villages of the Dolomites with its bell towers, its completely pedestrian center... it's a pity that we were there on a Sunday, because a lot of shops were closed... we'll come back when it's warmer to enjoy a spritz on the terrace.

Lago di Braies

We had already seen it in 2019, but we wanted to make some new images trying to be less cliché... so here we go! This morning it is really cold... the lake of Braies being literally surrounded by mountains. This year we will not linger on the north shore (the most touristic one) and we will make the tour of the lake and the little climb to Malga Foresta to eat a typical dish and enjoy the sun.

Hôtel Joas

Discovered in 2019, our hotel is not in San Candido itself, but in Versciaco, a village not far away, super cute, with nice chalets at the foot of the ski slopes of the 3 Cime area. Joas Hotel Natura B&B, is modern but surrounded by nature, with a splendid view of the valley.

→ Alta Badia [ 3 nights ]

We left to discover the Alta Badia, after having bypassed Plan de Corones découvert en 2019, we enter the Valle Badia... at the beginning all tight, we felt a little oppressed, then arrived at the height of Badia village, the valley opens and it is a magnificent landscape that rises. We arrive in our accommodation Les Pizades (see below) with the setting sun and a magnificent luminosity on the mountains: Sas dal Crusc, Piz Lavarella & Piz Les Conturines.

Prà de Armentara

The beautiful luminosity of yesterday evening gave way to an overcast and threatening sky... it doesn't matter we get dressed and we go for a walk first in the villages of the surroundings: San Cassiano, La Villa & Badià... then thanks to Sabine's information (cf. below), we go to the parking of Furnacia to restore us 20 minutes later at Ranch da André. Once we were warmed up and fed, we went for a walk in the meadows of Armentara (paths 15A, 15, 18) which, once again, reminded us a little of the Alpe di Siusi... we finished our walk under the snowflakes and happy!

Pralongià

Today we decided to go and discover the high plateau of Pralongià... but in this period all the ski lifts are closed... 2 options: walk or rent a bike! We had difficulties to find a store that still rented bikes... but it's actually in the next village, in San Cassiano, that we found our happiness: at Lagaciò (the store is at the foot of the hotel of the same name... closed at the time of our visit, it must be a nice alternative address for those who want the service of a hotel).

So with our ebikes we go to the Pralongià plateau... first we climb towards Armentarola where we pass in front of "our place" the Pizades, then we climb via the path n°18, 24B, 24A until the highest point at 2109m at the Pralongià refuge. Unfortunately all the refuges on the plateau are closed, but it doesn't matter: picnic in the sun sheltered from the cold wind with a view on the Marmolada glacier which seems to fall on us while it is 2 valleys away! Then we walk towards the Bioch refuge (path n°23) and we go back down towards San Cassiano via path n°22 through the meadows with a view on the mountains. We are glad to have found ebikes because it allowed us to make a loop too long to do in one day by foot. At the end of the day we return our ebikes frozen but happy.

Les Pizades

Les Pizades... a very nice discovery of this trip. Sabine offers us 3 apartments in the family farmhouse completely renovated and modern with all the amenities. The farm is located in Armentarola, surrounded by fields where their cows walk. Sabine offers us bread, eggs and fresh milk from the farm every morning and informs us daily about the weather, the opening/closing of the refuges, the Malgas, the ski lifts and the restaurants in the different villages of the Alta Badià. It is precious especially in October when many begin to close their doors for the break before the high winter season. We can only recommend this beautiful address in a quiet and well located area.

→ Plose [ 2 nights ]

Let's go for the last stage of our road trip, but first we stop for an espresso and a brioche at Panificio Pasticceria Caffé Gasse in La Villa, before starting the climb of Passo delle Erbe.

Passo delle Erbe & Sass de Putia

Stop at the top of the Passo della Erbe after the many sharp turns... we decide to leave in the direction of Munt de Fornella and approach the Sas de Putia. Arrived in 20 minutes at the refuge, it's too early to eat a good typical dish especially after our brioche... so we leave on the path n°8A direction Forcela de Putia. The ascent is difficult but rewarding when we arrive at the top to see the Val Badia from another angle and get closer to the Odle de Eroes. This time we return to the Fornella refuge for a good piece of speck!

Rossalm sull’Plose

Here we are at our last stop...Rossalm, a refuge on the mount Plose... or rather a hotel... because this refuge has all the conveniences of a high hotel. We are conquered first of all by its location... facing the Odle Eores, Odle di Funes, and the Sas de Putia a breathtaking view... but also by the warm welcome of this team! Christoph and Werner took over the refuge just before the pandemic and despite the difficulties with all the health restrictions in Italy, they managed to stay the course and offer a warm and welcoming place. Besides, Werner will always spend a moment with you while his brother is in the kitchen, either to advise you on the activities of the Plose or just to chat with a drink in hand as if we have known each other for a long time. A little extra, their homemade thyme spritz recipe is so delicious it's a killer! You will have understood... a wonderful simple and warm address that we recommend without any restraint.

Monte Gabler

Let's go for the ascent of Monte Gabler... We take the path n°14 "Via Panoramica Dolomiti" which bears its name well until the Gabler Alm then we take the path n°7 until the Mount Gabler at 2576m of altitude. The ascent is a bit difficult because we are loaded like donkeys... between photo equipment and a giant but delicious picnic prepared by the Rossalm! Arrived at the top it is a 360° view which opens all around us with an incredible sharpness today. We distinguish almost all the places visited during our 3 roadtrips: Alpe di Siusi, Seceda, Odle di Funes, Sas de Putia, Torri de Vajoet, Marmolada, Sasso Piato... and much more! We stay all afternoon on the Gabler mountain between nap, picnic, photo session and contemplation of the landscape! In short we enjoy our last afternoon here in front of the grandiose Dolomites.

Bressanone

We are repeating ourselves from the last articles of our travels in the Dolomites but... it's time to come down from the mountain... it's sad, it's with a heavy heart that we leave these magnificent mountains, but to come back again and again! We make a last stop in Bressanone... this small town is still a nice surprise with its pedestrian center, its cafés and its quiet atmosphere! We take the opportunity to do our last shopping for speck and before going back to Switzerland!

• uno Spritz, un pò di speck e uno strudel di mele per favore ! •

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Find our articles on our previous roadtrips in the Dolomites

Dolomiti • Salve Alto Adige & Veneto 1/2

The most famous spots in the Dolomites in September 2019 from Verona to San Candido via Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Dolomiti • Grüss Gott Alto Adige 2/2

The most famous spots in the Dolomites in September 2019 from San Candido to Bolzano via Alpe di Siusi.

Dolomiti • Servus Alto Adige

A small week in June 2021 around the Catinaccio, del Sasso Piatto & del Sasso Lungo.

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Here are the maps we used for this raodtrip, because the Lonely Planet Dolomiti (only in Italian) is really not detailed enough. The Tabacco maps are very precise and useful for off-road walks. They are easily obtainable in sport stores or kiosks.

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The articles and photos we publish in this blog belong to us, unless otherwise stated, so be fair, don't use them without contacting us first...

Dolomiti • Servus Südtyrol [Italia] ENG

FR | ENG

Here we are finally back on the road outside of our Swiss borders... and given our huge crush in 2019, we couldn't wait to return to South Tyrol in the heart of the Dolomites. For this new adventure of one week (only) but this time at the end of June, we decided to focus on the Alpe di Siusi and to tour around the Sasso Piatto & Sasso Lungo.

→ Alpe di Siusi [ 3 nights ]

During our first roadtrip in the Dolomites,Dolomiti • Salve Alto Adige 1/2 & Dolomiti • Grüss Gott Südtirol 2/2, we were a little frustrated with our one and only day on the Alpe di Siusi. So for this first stage, we decided to take our time and book 3 nights directly on the Alpe di Siusi. As mentioned in our previous article in 2019, Dolomiti • Grüss Gott Südtirol partie 2, ccess to the Alpe di Siusi is restricted to cars. Cars can only go up before 9am or after 5pm and only in Compatsch, the entrance village of the altipiano, after this time, you can only access by cable car or bus. This restriction is desirable to limit the traffic on the altipiano... but a bit frustrating for those who like to stroll at late hours like us. So this year we booked in the beautiful and high perched Hotel Goldknopf to make the most of our stay.

Hôtel Goldknopf

The Goldknopf Hotel did not disappoint us! First of all, the modern but mountainous style makes us feel good right away. The natural swimming pool is beautifully integrated into the landscape... we could see marmots playing around it in the evening. The position of the hotel, in height, allows us to have a 180° view on the massif of Sciliar, the Alpe di Siusi, the Odle, the Sasso Piatto and the Sasso Lungo... and not to mention the delicious restaurant... every evening a delight!

To ride the Alpe di Siusi from top to bottom and from left to right, we rented e-bikes for the 3 days at Sport Hans (for a few euros more, they drop them directly at your accommodation)... During our stay, we didn't stop pedaling in all directions and going from one hütte to another to enjoy the landscape, to take pictures, to drink Italian espresso (what we missed) and to eat speck, canederli and alpine cheese and sometimes to protect ourselves from a rain shower... Here is a non-exhaustive list of the hütte not to be missed Edelwiess Hütte, Zallinger Hütte, Baita Sanon, Tüenehütte… we let you discover the Alpe di Siusi in pictures.

→ Selva Gardena [ 2 nights ]

It's time to leave the alpine pasture to reach the nearby Val Gardena, the next step of our mini roadtrip. We pass by Castelrotto that we had visited in the rain in 2019 with its imposing bell tower and continue our descent by Ortisei, to finish our road at the bottom of the valley in Selva di Gardena. This village is turned towards the outdoor activity, that's obvious as soon as we arrive... sports stores, pubs, ski lifts in all directions... it makes us want to come back in winter... who knows next time we could put our skis on to go down those slopes!

Our hotel for these 2 next nights, the Hotel Freina, is central and allows to use the bus and the ski lifts without taking the car. The welcome is family and very friendly, you almost feel like you are part of the family. You will find the father at the bar and at the reception, the mother who seems to be everywhere and the children who manage the restaurant! A beautiful cohesion emanates from this family full of good mood and good advice on the region.

Seceda

We wanted to see the Seceda again with the meadows... we saw it and much more... lightning, hail and storm were also part of the story. We reached the top of the Seceda by the double cable car that leaves from Ortisei... then we enjoyed the view but also to discover the Seceda covered with a magnificent meadow full of buttercups... a very yellow carpet. After having juggled between rain, sun and small hail we had lunch in the shelter of the Troier hütte as in 2019... we would have liked to try the Daniel Hütte but well, we were a little wet... We then went down to the chairlift next to the malaga La Neidia via the path n°1, 4A & 2C via the Lech da Iman, to then go back up to the top of the Seceda and there to find ourselves in the heart of the storm blocked with 3 other tourists in the shelters in the arrival of the chairlift... You don't need to know the details. To avoid going back down by the double cable car and lengthen the walk, you could go back down in the Val Gardena via the Raiser Pass or the Rifugio Firenze to finally reach Santa Cristina... For us it will be for another time!

Ortisei & Chiesetta San Giacomo

After having recovered our spirits and succeeded in going down to Ortisei... (it was not won with the wind and the hail). We stroll in the pretty and mundane pedestrian city center of Ortisei... an espresso at Cafè Corso was well come to give us again a small blow of whip and to set out again for a small walk direction the Chiesetta San Giacomo. Go up to the village of Sacun from Ortisei by car (about 5 minutes) or by bus, then take the path n°6B that crosses the meadow and the forest... mystical with all the rain... the bands of fog were dancing to finally totally dissipate as soon as we arrived at the little church.

Vallunga

For this 2nd day in the Val Gardena, we decide to go to explore the Vallunga... a beautiful valley... we immediately have this impression to be in Zion in the USA... steep cliffs, vegetation... We wanted to see a small ephemeral lake on the path n°14 which appears only in spring at the melting of the ice, but unfortunately, it was already dry. We would advise to do the Vallunga in e-bike rather than on foot, we would have preferred!

Passo Sella

This afternoon, it's time to leave the Val Gardera and head for our last stop of this mini roadtrip, the Val di Tires, but first we stop at the Passo Sella at the Malga Sella, for a small dish of speck and an apple strudel. Then we reach the Refuge T. Demets between the Sasso Piatto and the Sasso Lungo with rather original eggs... 2 maximum per cabin and standing, we had a good laugh!

After having admired the view on both sides: on one side the Alpe di Siusi and on the other the passo Sella, il Gruppo de Sella & the Marmolada... we take the path n°525 via rocky terrain and meadow full of Buttercups to go back down and join our guide for the next part of the route towards Tires!

→ Tires [ 2 nights ]

Val di Tires

We arrived at our last stop in Tires, in a nice hotel all renovated and also managed by a whole family, the Alpinhôtel Vajolet! The weather seems to be calming down and we can enjoy our traditional spritz on the nice terrace from where we can see the Torri Vajolet at the bottom of the valley.

Rosengarten • Catinaccio

Let's go for the discovery of the Catinaccio... we turn back to reach Carezza and go up to the Rifugio Paolina via the Paolina chairlift. From there we take the path n°539. There are quite a few people on this part which does not require a huge effort. But the view is magnificent on the Latemar despite the desolation of the forest due to the storm of the beginning of 2019 which has sacred the surrounding forest (a really impressive massacre of trees). We first reach a giant bronze eagle, Christomannos monument, which evokes Theodor Christomannos who dedicated his life to the renovation of the famous Dolomite road that connects Nova Levante/Welschnofen to Cortina. We then reached the Rotward Hütte via trail no. 549... but on the way there we met Pietro... quite a character who holds the Baita Pederiva right next door! So we had a little Italian coffee... and we stayed there chatting, looking at the landscape, eating a minestrone, a krauti salad and some delicious deserts. Our basic idea was to see if we could make the tour of the Rotwand via the trail n°551 but well, we were there, enjoying the sun in good company. We went back down to Carezza through forest and meadow via trail n°548, 1A, 6A... a very nice alternative!

In the area, there is the lago di Carezza not to be missed... we had done it in 2019 and we decided not to go back there to privilege our end of day in the Val di Tires... but you can see our pictures in the 2019 article Dolomiti • Salve Alto Adige [Italia] 1/2.

Wuhnleger Pond

Back in the Val di Tires, we stop at San Cipriano, to admire the small church of the same name with the Rosengarten and the Torri di Vajolet in the background... then we go up by car to the beginning of the path n°6 that we follow on foot until the fork of the n°4A and then the n°4 in order to reach, quite painfully in about 40 minutes, (the tiredness of the previous days is felt...) the Wuhnleger pond... which gives us the most beautiful view on the mountain range of the Rosengarten and the Torri di Vajolet. We will stay a while playing with the clouds, the evening light and the mirror in the pond... A nice last evening!

Bolzano

It's time to come down from the mountain... it's sad, it's with a heavy heart that we leave these beautiful mountains, but to certainly come back! We make a last stop in Bolzano as in 2019 to enjoy the nice pedestrian city center... do our last speck shopping and a new little Tyrolean hat for Tracy... before joining our Switzerland!

• un canederli, un pò di speck e uno strudel per favore ! •

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→ Find all our articles on our roadtrips in the dolomites

Dolomiti • Salve Alto Adige & Veneto 1/2

The most famous spots in the Dolomites in September 2019 from Verona to San Candido via Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Dolomiti • Grüss Gott Alto Adige 2/2

The most famous spots in the Dolomites in September 2019 from San Candido to Bolzano through the Alpe di Siusi.

Dolomiti • Ciao Veneto & SüdTyrol

For the 2nd time in 2021, a 2-week roadtrip in October between sun and snow.

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Here are the maps we used, because the Lonely Planet Dolomiti (only in Italian) is really not detailed enough. The Tabacco maps are very accurate and useful for off-the-beaten track walks. They are easily obtainable in Compatsch or in any sports store in the Dolomites or on Amazon.

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The articles and photos we publish in this blog belong to us, unless otherwise stated, so be fair, don't use them without contacting us first...

Dolomiti • Salve Alto Adige & Veneto [Italia] 1/2 ENG

FR | ENG

Here is a roadtrip not so far from home that amazed us... As Swiss, we know a little bit about mountains so we could think that the change of scenery is not huge... The landscapes, the sharp mountain peaks, the high altitude meadows... In short we take a lot of eyes and also calves...

To prepare this roadtrip, we had some difficulties to establish a circuit. Most of the bloggers who travelled through these mountains were in van. So for future travelers by car, we would like to make it easier for you to prepare your route. We made a map and detailed the tour by day and not by places to see. Our roadtrip started in Verona, then Nova Levante, Cortina d'Ampezzo, San Candido, Val di Funes, Alpe di Siusi & to finish in Resia near the Austrian and Swiss border.

Voir en taille réelle

→ VERONA [ 1 NighT ]

Let's go for our September roadtrip! Our first stop, in order not to do the road in one go, is the romantic Verona! We only spent one evening there, but we will definitely put this city back on our bucket list, because the historical center with its arena, its pedestrian streets and its history... deserve much more... but it was a nice first evening and our first Spritz of the vacations! Cheers!

We stayed in the countryside of Verona, a few kilometers from the center, in a beautiful relay, Relais Corte Guastalla surrounded by greenery & kiwi trees. We were there in mid-September and the 30 degrees, allowed us to still enjoy the infinity pool!

Altipiano del Renon & Piramidi di Terra

Here we go, towards the Alto Adige to discover the Dolomites... We go north to Bolzano. Since it's Sunday, we decide not to visit the center of Bolzano (we'll go back there at the end of our roadtrip). We go directly to the Renon cable car, not far from the center of Bolzano, to go up to Soprabolzano on the Altipiano Del Renon. From there we board the little train that takes us directly to Collalbo. The train ride is very bucolic and the weather of the day allows us to have an impressive view of the dolomites in front. Once in Collabo, a short 30 minute walk along path n°24 takes us to the Piramidi di Terra, the highest in Europe!

If you want to stop to sleep in this beautiful region and you can break your piggy bank a little we recommend the Adler Lodge, we discovered this mini chain of 4 establishments, in the Alpe di Siusi but unfortunately we had already planned our whole itinerary, but if one day we come back to the dolomites, it is certain that we will stay a few nights in one of their establishments.

Lago di Carezza

Back to the car, direction Val d'Ega, to go to the Lago di Carezza... A beautiful lake just next to the road to the pass, preserved from the bad weather of early 2019 that destroyed the surrounding forest (a really impressive massacre of trees). The lake is worthy of a postcard with the dolomites and the forest as a background and its colors are just incredible... Welcome to the little Canada! We can go around the lake, we advise you to come in the afternoon, the luminosity was magnificent at the end of the day...

After a very busy day, we turn back a few km to take possession of our room in the hotel Stern (nothing special, but clean and welcoming) before going to the Marion Grillstube Steakhouse, where we ate divinely well: tagliatelle with truffles and lamb cooked in front of us on a wood fire, a delight... remember to reserve!

→ CORTINA D'AMPEZZO [ 3 nights ]

Today we are going to Cortina d'Ampezzo... But we will make some detours through the Val d'Ega, then the Val di Fassa before taking the Passo Sella, to approach the Sassopiatto & Sassolungo, to finish with the Passo Gardena... A wonderful drive with breathtaking landscapes.

5 Torri

Before reaching Cortina, we stop at the foot of the 5 Torri. The start of the tour of the 5 Torri is reachable by car through a small mountain road that stops at the refuge of the same name. The walk does not require much effort except for the first 15 minutes. If you want to take it easy, you can take the 5 Torri chairlift that leaves from Passo Falzarego, but be careful with the closing time if you want to enjoy the last sunbeams on the Torri.

The tour of the 5 Torri from the refuge can be done in 1 hour, there is a small climb but it is quickly forgotten before reaching a plateau... We cross these towers, we walk there and we wonder how nature could create such blocks... but there is not only the 5 Torri to contemplate but all the landscape around as well as the so agile climbers who launch themselves to the assault of these monoliths... it hypnotizes us... Can you see them on our pictures?

After another busy day... We finally arrive in our accommodation in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Dolomiti Lodge Alverà,a magnificent Lodge with a breathtaking view of the Tofane mountains, a modern but mountainous style & a divine restaurant... and the icing on the cake a double upgrade to spend 3 nights in THE Lodge suite! THANK YOU! I recommend you this practical and beautiful address without any restraint...

Lago Sorapis

This morning it is left for a beautiful walk of 2 hours going & 2 hours return in direction of the Lago Sorapis... We apprehend (well especially me, Tracy) a little the walk because according to the information which we collected, there would be a passage via ferrata... But well, we launch out and we shall see well! We limit the weight of the bags, especially the bag photo of Marc and we start the walk to the Passo Tre Croci by following the path n°215. The walk starts in a very beautiful forest, then the path narrows and goes along the side of the mountain... there are some nice climbs, but nothing insurmountable and the few passages exposed to the void are manageable for someone who suffers from vertigo like me, it is just necessary to hold on to the cable! oufffffff... I, Tracy, am reassured...

The walk ends again with a beautiful path in the forest before arriving at the magnificent Lago Sorapis! [small drawback, there are many people... being at the end of September, we didn't want to leave too early because of the luminosity, but if you want to limit the number of tourists and depending on the time of the year, get up early].

The Sorapis lake reached at the end of the morning, the light was brilliant and the color of the lake of an incredible milky blue-green... decidedly these lakes in the dolomites are more beautiful the ones than the others... 

After having strolled, then picnicked, then walked around the lake for hours, a small stop at the Vandelli hut to get strength, and let's go for the descent... Well, there we regret a little not to have taken our sticks remained in Switzerland... so much the worse... The knees suffer a little but it is not serious the day was magnificent!

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Let's go for the discovery of the emblem of the Dolomites, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo... A walk of about 3h30, but which took us all day, because as usual, we strolled, enjoyed, took pictures and waited for the sun at the end of the day... It is a loop that leaves and arrives from the parking of the Refugio Auronzo, whose access is paying. The path is easy, but there are still 2 beautiful climbs and a big descent! You can do it in both directions, we went in the direction of the Refugio Lavaredo, which we reached quickly and easily before undertaking the first ascent to pass on the other side of the Tre Cime, to then join the Refugio Locatelli with its ideally located position in front of the Tre Cime.

→ SAN CANDIDO [ 1 night ]

Lago Leandro & Lago Dobbiaco

It's time to leave Cortina for the north... Direction San Candido... But some nice surprises are still waiting for us in this day of roadtrip. First of all the Lago Leandro... surprisingly wild but next to the road, its very clear blue-turquoise color is difficult to capture on the screens. To appreciate the beauty of the place, it is enough to park its car and to move away from the road to appreciate all its quietude and its natural landscape...

We arrive then on the banks of the lago di Dobbiaco... another breathtaking lake of an emerald blue-green... Ideal for a picnic break with all these benches ideally located on the path that surrounds the lake... Or go to one of the 3 restaurants that border the northern part of the lake...

After having spent hours again contemplating, walking & photographing... let's go to our hotel for our "usual" end of day SPRITZ... Our hotel is not in San Candido itself but in Versciaco, a village not far away, super cute, with nice chalets at the foot of the ski slopes of the 3 Cime area. Joas Hotel Natura B&B, is modern but surrounded by nature, with a splendid view on the valley... small plus, a SPA-terrace on the last floor. It is besides the 1st regret in the organization of our roadtrip, it would have been necessary to have at least 2 nights here to be able to visit the small town of San Candido & to benefit simply a little more from this splendid place. At nightfall, we walked to Gröber's Hütte to eat traditional dishes... mmmmmm!!!

for the continuation of the adventures... I let you discover the 2nd article “Dolomiti • Grüss Gott - Partie 2”

• it's the holidays... un SPRITZ per favore ! •

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→ Find all our articles on our roadtrips in the Dolomites

Dolomiti • Grüss Gott Alto Adige 2/2

The most famous spots in the Dolomites in September 2019 from San Candido to Bolzano through the Alpe di Siusi.

Dolomiti • Servus Alto Adige

A small week in June 2021 around the Catinaccio, del Sasso Piatto & Sasso Lungo.

Dolomiti • Ciao Veneto & SüdTyrol

For the 2nd time in 2021, a 2-week roadtrip in October between sun and snow.

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Here are the maps we used, because the Lonely Planet Dolomiti (only in Italian) is really not detailed enough. The Tabacco maps are very accurate and useful for off-the-beaten-track walks. They are easily available in Bolzano or on Amazon.

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the articles and photos we publish in this blog belong to us, unless otherwise stated, so be fair, don't use them without contacting us first...

Dolomiti • Grüss Gott Südtirol [Italia] 2/2 ENG

FR | ENG

Here is the continuation of our roadtrip in the dolomites... The landscapes are breathtaking and in this 2nd part, we will not be disappointed... lakes, mountains, high plateaus, sharp peaks, meadows... We let you appreciate in pictures...

To discover the beginning of our route, I let you read the “Dolomiti • Salve Alto Adige Partie 1” which started in Verona, then Nova Levante, Cortina d'Ampezzo & San Candido. We continue here from Val di Funes, Alpe di Siusi & to finish in Resia near the Austrian and Swiss border.

Voir en taille réelle

→ VAL DI FUNES [ 2 nights ]

Lago du Braies

With our breakfast to go... Here we go in the direction of the FAMEUX lago di Braies... So famous that we decided to get up early to be there before the crowd... Our basic idea: to have a breakfast & a Wild Coffee with our Italian Mocha on a bench contemplating the lake... BUT... Arrived on the parking of the lake of Braies, the temperature dropped and according to the Mini Cooper it is 0°... So it will be breakfast in the car before adding some layers.

We advise you to arrive before the opening of the boat rentals (rather random time, when we were there it was 9 am) in order to be able to see the boats parked & motionless on the lake and maybe have the chance to see the mirror of the mountains reflected in the lake... We spent hours there... On a high bench, I prepared our Wild Coffee to warm us up while Marc scanned the landscape waiting for the right light... I strongly advise you to go and explore his pictures in the portfolio to discover his pictures. Then we succumbed, because yes we are tourists, to the famous boat ride on the lake ... The navigation was not very easy... but the landscape took another dimension.

Plan de Corones

After this beautiful morning in the cold, we went to the Plan de Corones. A mountain, or rather a big hill, which is not part of the Dolomites but which shelters a big ski area and 2 museums that we wanted to see mainly for their architecture: Messner Mountain Museum & Lumen Museum. The first one is dedicated to the mountain and the Dolomites, I don't necessarily advise to pay the entrance fee, but rather to admire the architecture from the outside. As for the Lumen, it is a museum dedicated to the image and the photography... a beautiful museum high up!

Chiesetta San Giovanni in Ranui

The hour turns and we still have a long way to go to reach the Val di Funes... From Plan Corones we head for the Val Badia and then take the Passo delle Erbe with its beautiful landscape but the road is so narrow that it is difficult to enjoy it while staying focused on the road... Once we reach the top, we can finally stop and contemplate the Val Eores and the Odle Eores less known than the Odle of the Val di Funes... But we do not linger too much because the luminosity drops too quickly in this month of September and we want to arrive before the sunset. The road that we take brings us by the top in the Val di Funes, the bright green of its meadows jumps to our eyes... it is magnificent... we continue our way towards the small church of San Giovanni in Ranui...

We are not the only ones, but the atmosphere is really nice because all are there with their tripod to capture the last lights on the small church. It must be said that to stop the influx of tourists as well as abuses ... the church is well protected ... a high wooden barrier prohibits approaching it, the entrance is paid and the flight of drones is prohibited. The photographers have however access to a dedicated platform in front of the church... not so bad, because there are no tourists on the pictures!

Parco Naturale Puez-Odle

Today we're going to discover the Odle... that mountain range we saw last night behind the church of San Giovanni in Ranui. We take the car and in a few minutes we reach the Zannes parking lot, our terminus... then we join a walk that, through the forest, leads us to the Adolf-Munkel-Weg path literally at the feet of the Odle... impressive & beautiful.

We join then a meadow of altitude which offers us a landscape on Odle even more fabulous... small more, a stop at the Malag Casgnago/Gschnagenhardt Alm or a lunch with local colors. We spend the afternoon on this high plateau basking in the sun while waiting for the light to turn and illuminate the mountain range to the maximum.

For these 2 nights in the Val di Funes, we stayed at the Hotel Tyrol, the room was clean with a view on the Odle, but for my taste it was cruelly lacking in charm. However, the undeniable advantage is its location, very close to the church and the Odle.

→ CASTELROTTO [ 3 nights ]

Seceda

The weather is spoiling.... we can't really complain because until now the blue sky hadn't left us. We decide to maintain the program: we leave the Val di Funes to join the Val Gardena. We stop in Ortisei to take the double cable car to join the Seceda to 2519m of altitude... the weather is capricious, we juggle between sun, clouds, fog and wind... but the sight is just splendid... this wave of mountains which is in fact the Odle (besides on this photo we guess on the left below the high plateau where we had spent the afternoon the previous day).

After having braved the cold and the wind... it's time to eat at the Baita Troier Hütte, here also the typical dishes are honored and the service is family and so nice. After our meal, we would have liked to go further but the time is passing and the weather is getting worse... we will come back for sure... because the landscape is just great!

After this wonderful day... let's go to our accommodation for 3 nights : Hotel Sonus Alpis, at the foot of the Alpe di Siusi not far from the pretty village of Castelrotto. This accommodation has everything to please: spa, infinity pool, incredible view, very nice welcome... But, yes there is a but... Our 2nd regret in the organization of this roadtrip, we should have rather planned an accommodation directly on the Alpe di Siusi. But why? Indeed the Alpe di Siusi is restricted to cars. Vehicles can only go up before 9am or after 5pm in Compatsch, the entrance village of the Altipiano, after this time, you can only access by cable car or bus. This restriction is desirable to limit the traffic on the altipano... and to allow to enjoy this magnificent nature. But we, who like freedom and the evening light... the constraint of the schedules did not suit us so much. By staying directly on the Alpe di Siusi, you get a permit to move freely on the altipiano, and everything is reachable by bike... We discovered a hotel when we were walking around that would really be worth breaking the bank: Adler Lodge Alpe ! Just Whouaaaa...

Chiesetta San Valentino

Today... it rains, it rains, it rains... We decide to try "the adventure" not far from our hotel towards the Chiesetta di San Valentino... With this weather, we are quickly soaked even with our umbrellas because to reach the small church we have to pass through the fields... The Sciliar massif plays hide and seek with the incessant dance of the clouds... A mystical & wet morning!

We continue our day with the discovery of the small village of Castelrotto with its small streets, a small stop to warm up at the Caffè Stern, tea room filled with Tyrolean desserts 😋...

Alpe di Siusi

The sun seems to be back... We will finally discover the Alpe di Siusi... As mentioned above we have to reach Compatsch before 9am. Arrived at 8am at the top, we are surprised by the number of tourists already on the way... Considering the still low luminosity we decide to do first the tour of the Bulacia which allows us to have a view on the whole Alpe di Siusi, the Sassopiatto & the Sassolungo... We take advantage to have a coffee when we cross a Malga... The walk is simple and very pleasant because we decided to go up in a cabin and to make the tour and the descent to Compatsch on foot... we were alone during the whole tour, then towards the end of the descent, we met so many people... it was a bit too much the tourist highway... Conclusion you have to come early!

Considering the number of tourists, we decide to take the bus and to go a little bit further on the plateau... We wanted to find the typical landscape that we see everywhere with its fields with hills... But first we reached the Malga Contrin to enjoy one last time a typical Tyrolean dish in the middle of the nature... it's from there that we found these famous little hills dotted with mini-cottages... with a view of the Sassopiatto and Sassolungo... we let you discover in pictures... we spent hours and hours there, waiting for the evening light... the tourists were getting rarer and rarer... we had the impression to be alone... it was magic! We understood afterwards why... we had missed the last bus to go back to Compatsch... we had to walk... it's not a big deal, because it was a beautiful day.

→ RESIA [ 1 night]

Bolzano

We leave with a lot of regret the mountains of the Dolomites... for this last day in Italy, we make a stop in Bolzano to make our last purchases of Speck... but it is with surprise that we discover a city animated by its daily market, its pedestrian lanes and its colored buildings... We stroll around without a camera, to enjoy this last moment alone & of these magnificent vacations...

Lago di Resia

t is with a twinge of sadness that we arrive at our last stop at the Italian, Swiss & Austrian border, before going back home... Unfortunately the weather is really awful... Strong wind, rain & snow... Very changeable compared to our morning in Bolzano... But it reflects a bit our sad mood to have to go back already... For this last stop we stayed at the Hotel Eden (nothing special but clean and practical). This last stop offers us however a last magnificent landscape with this bell tower drowned in the Lago di Resia... there is no word it is mystical!

• un piatto di canederli e un pò di speck, per favore ? •

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→ Find all our articles on road trips in the Dolomites

Dolomiti • Salve Alto Adige & Veneto 1/2

The most famous spots in the Dolomites in September

Dolomiti • Servus Alto Adige

A small week in June 2021 around the Catinaccio, del Sasso Piatto & Sasso Lungo.

Dolomiti • Ciao Veneto & SüdTyrol

For the 2nd time in 2021, a 2-week roadtrip in October between sun and snow.

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Here are the maps we used, because the Lonely Planet Dolomiti (only in Italian) is really not detailed enough. The Tabacco maps are very accurate and useful for off-the-beaten-track walks. They are easily available in Bolzano or on Amazon.

Far West • California & Nevada road trip [USA] 1/3 ENG

FR | ENG

Beginning of our beautiful road trip adventure in the USA... Which will make us cross California, a small part of Nevada, Utah & finish in beauty under a burning heat in Arizona... But to be honest, we organized this trip because I wanted a "simpler" trip compared to our last adventures in Mongolia, but we were afraid to be disappointed... first of all because we had already seen all these landscapes in magazines or in movies, the crowd of tourists, the American mentality & of course the food... but this trip was way beyond our desires and our expectations... in 1 word : GREAT !

→ DAYS 1 to 3 • San Francisco

Our road trip in the west starts with 3 days in San Francisco... No need to tell you that this city deserves to be visited at least a few days before hitting the road and driving down all those miles... We suggest you to discover it with our "to-do" list & in pictures...

• Union Square... Arrived in the evening, it is the first district that we discover & it is here that our Hotel Zepplin... The district, very central with all the conveniences, is practical but it is not by far the most charming district... There are the big chain stores, a lot of restaurants & hotels and also a lot of beggars... Honestly, there are plenty of other more attractive neighborhoods to stay in on a future visit. However, our hotel was very original & design, although the room was really tiny, and the breakfast delicious. On the other hand, in this area... the famous Cable Cars are omnipresent, not to be missed under any circumstances: the Cable Car hub at Powell Station.

• Cable Cars & son museum... This is the only thing Tracy remembers about her first trip to SF when she was 5 years old with her parents... Mythical is the word! 30 years later... As soon as you get on it, the feeling of being a kid on a merry-go-round is back... and on top of that you discover SF quietly... we love it! There are three different lines, a trip will cost you 7 $, it's not cheap, so to take advantage of the trip here are some advices: try to get on at the end of a line to cover a maximum of the trip and to have the best seats... but there are sometimes many many many people... so you have 2 options: come very early in the morning or later in the evening (with the evening lights it's very nice, sun setting through the streets and the lights of the city start to light up) or get on the way if there is still room even standing, the price will be the same but no line...

  In the Union Square area, don't miss the turntable at Powell Street: the drivers, always by 2, jump off the Cable Car to make it turn on a wooden platform in order to make it go back the other way. These small urban trains will have no more secrets for you & especially it allows to admire the cables which pull the 3 different lines... In fact everything starts from here... Impressive & deafening!

• Alamo Square & Hayes Valley... efinitely this neighborhood is our favorite... all these Victorian houses and all the other picturesque houses in this area made us want to settle down... In addition the district of Hayes is filled with small cafés too "chou"... the small more was to ride in electric scooter Lime... with 2 on the same one, it was sport but so ludic... we still do not return from having traversed the streets of SF like that... (almost dangerous)...

• Limebike... one word GENIUS... a concept that is also coming to Switzerland ... Lime is a network of bicycles (nothing very innovative so far) and electric scooters for rent... The mega plus of this concept is that these scooters can be found anywhere in the street... To start : you just have to download the application on your smartphone, introduce your credit card, have a 3G network or wifi (there is a free wifi in SF but not always available) and your smartphone battery well filled... That's all... Then you just have to find a scooter in the street thanks to the map in the application that geolocates the available and charged scooters... Once in front of your future scooter scan the QR code and off you go... (⚠️ don't move a scooter without delocking it with your smartphone... because it will start screaming and threaten to call the police... experience made 😝 because I was looking to get closer to a wifi network)... once you arrived at your destination, you delock and leave your scooter almost anywhere according to your common sense... to be tested absolutely!

• Chinatown... Honestly parr our way, there is nothing to see... it is by far not the most impressive Chinatown that we have seen... there are only small stores without soul and without consistency, only bad gadgets... After Bangkok it is difficult to compete.

• North Beach… The Italian district... This district can be spotted by the green-white-red flag paintings on all the signposts in the streets... we had dinner at Acquolina, chatting in Italian with the waiters, in French and in German with our Swiss-German tablemates... a very nice moment... take the time to stroll in this district at the end of the day to drink the Italian aperitivo... "un Spritz per favore!"

• Fisherman's Wharf... The star of this district which is indeed a line of piers filled with restaurants, souvenir stores & museums, is Pier 39 or rather The Pier 39... where sea lions have taken up residence... they are there next to the passers-by basking in the sun or doing a pseudo fight show... I found it hypnotizing... the other particularity of the district not to be missed a little further on Taylor street & if you are a fan of crab and seafood, go to the Fisherman's Wharf Carb Stands... beware however of the seagulls always ready to steal your meal directly from your hands!

• Lombard Street… A street of eight hairpins & full of charm on the slopes of one of the many hills of SF was built to allow the inhabitants to climb the 27% difference in altitude... Only big problem: the horde of tourists who take selfies or drive down the street as if it was a merry-go-round... We pity the inhabitants... But the view of this small street from far or near is still worth the detour.

• Golden Gate Bridge... the STAR of San Francisco! The bridge whose name comes from the gold rush in the Sierra Nevada, was inaugurated in 1937, is 2.6 km long and overhangs the bay by 67 m, it contains 1 million tons of steel and 129'000km of cables... 25 painters work all year long to renovate it... The purpose of the paint is indeed to protect the steel from rust facilitated by the salt contained in the air & the color is called international orange (Pantone 180)... So much for the official info! You can cross the bridge on foot, by bike or by car... (beware of the toll if you enter SF)... but for me the walk towards Crissy Field with a view on the bridge is more fun than the crossing itself. To get to the Golden Gate Bridge from downtown, take the 28 bus, it's the closest to the bridge, then if you're lucky, try to find an electric scooter and you're free!

• Apple Park... Marc being literally a big FAN of Apple... we couldn't avoid making a small detour to Cupertino, to go to the visitor center of Apple Park and be as close as possible to the Apple world: virtual visit, apple store, café, panoramic terrace.

In 3 days there are obviously many things and places that we did not have time to see... here is our little list for a next visit...

• The climb of the Coit Tower early in the morning to avoid the queue and to enjoy a great view of all SF

• A guided night visit to Alcatraz to feel the chills again

• A walk to the Marine Headlands to see the Golden Gate Bridge & San Francisco from the other side of the bay, it is said to be the most beautiful view in SF

• The Catsro, SF's gay district

  Here is an overview of this magnificent city, the most European of the USA... now let's hit the road to the west...

→ DAY 4 • Groveland

[ 198 miles • 4h00 via Cupertino ]

Groveland, a small village with a typical American Wild West look... Arrived at the end of the day with the last rays of sun on Main Street & after a short walk in the little town... We chose the Iron Door Saloon to soak up a little more of the local atmosphere... The saloon is the oldest in California, has original steel doors to protect the inhabitants from a possible fire and the ceiling is covered with banknotes stuck in projectiles mode... We feel good there and the meat is delicious... this road trip in the west starts very well... We stayed just next door in the very very charming Groveland Hotel... a lovely surprise!

This small village is ideally located on the west side of Yosemite Park. Our basic itinerary would have led us to discover Yosemite on day 5 & cross the Sierra Nevada via the Tioga Pass (3031m). Unfortunately, the pass was still closed when we passed through (it opened the following weekend... lack of boll)... we had to, with a lot of regret, bypass Yosemite and take the Sonora Pass... to reach Lee Vining! You will find all the access information below.

You will find practical information about access & roads on the website of National Parc Service.

Iron Door Saloon
18761 Main St
Groveland
CA 95321

Groveland Hotel
18767 Main St
Groveland
CA 95321

→ DAY 5 • Lee Vining

[ 215 miles • 4h30 via Sonora pass ]

Even if we had to change our itinerary because of the winter closure of the Tioga pass... the Sonora pass was a very nice mountain road to pass the Sierre Nevada... With beautiful granite landscapes.

Arrived on the other side of the Sierre Nevada, we made a small detour by Bodie State Historic Park... a mining town frozen in the time of the gold rush... we are in the GOLDEN GATE STATE!!!

We decided to sleep in Lee Vining to enjoy the sunrise on the Mono Lake... so, to spend a nice evening in this very small village without much soul, go to Epic Café where the welcome with a strong accent ("soup or salad" or "super salad"... ???), the garden and the dishes are at the top...

Hôtel Lake View Lodge
51285 Highway 395
Lee Vining
CA 93541

Epic Café
349 Lee Vining Avenue
Lee Vining
CA 93541

The Mono lake is a salt lake with a salt content 2,5 times higher than the oceans... The particularity of this lake are the numerous limestone formations which rise above the level of the lake...They are called tuff towers... Go early in the morning and to the south of the lake to see the most beautiful landscapes and walk through all these tufs :)

On the way to Death Valley... a short stop at the Hot Creek geological site: hot springs, fumaroles and turquoise waters. We also wanted to discover the Devils Postpile National Monument, 60 m high basalt columns, but they were still closed for the winter when we visited at the end of May.

→ DAYS 6 & 7 • Death Valley

[ 228 miles • 4h00 via  Hway 395, 136 & 190  ]

Here are the great desert landscapes... the valley of death... arriving from Lee Vining, after the fork in the Hway 136, the landscape starts to change drastically to leave place to the desert and a burning heat! Moreover the road goes up and down... The car sometimes shows some signs of weakness...

Little advice: don't forget to take a lot of water! 

Our Hotel, Furnace Creek Resort, is located in the very center of Death Valley with all the "attractions" only a few miles away. Small plus of this hotel with a colonial style, the swimming pool... welcome in the middle of the day when the temperatures are not bearable otherwise. Indeed, to make the most of your stay in Death Valley, you should plan to get up early to enjoy the magnificent morni

• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes... A nice walk through the dunes... (yes, Tracy has a fascination for the dunes... that's how Marc was convinced to come and get hot!) to be done preferably in the morning to avoid the heat that rises very quickly!

• Artist's Palette... Here we feel like at the Color Run... Colorful spots on the ground and on the sides of the mountain... Green, purple, pink & turquoise... It's crazy what nature can offer us as a show! To get there, make a 15km loop from Badwater road... Ideally to do at the end of the day to have the sun rays on all these colors!

• Badwater Road... Hway 178 to go to have access to different viewpoints, it's a very beautiful road & even more when the storm threatens...

• Badwater... The lowest point of the USA at -84m below sea level... here it can be very very hot, a real furnace... The salt marsh is not as beautiful as in Uyuni in Bolivia, but the landscape is still worth the trip... It is best to do it at the end of the day (but be careful with the heat) to have a better exposure to the sun... because we were there in the morning and the basin was still in the shade.

• Zabriskie Point... A magnificent point of view to be done at sunrise to see the formations light up one after the other...

→ DAY 8 • Springdale via Las Vegas

[ 118 miles • 2h10 Las Vegas + 163 miles • 2h45 Springdale  ]

Direction Zion national park... but on the way, we couldn't miss Las Vegas... Honestly we were not excited to spend time in Las Vegas in the middle of our road trip in the nature... But the extravagance of the place was in fact fascinating... Not to be missed: the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, the Bellagio hotel, the Paris Las Vegas & of course playing at the casino... After this day, we would have liked to add a night in Las Vegas to discover it in light ... At the Bellagio of... Next time!

See the continuation of our roadtrip in Utah

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Full of precious informations

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→ Discover the rest of our adventures in the USA in our articles below

USA • Utha & Navarjo Lands

Continuation of our adventures in the west of the USA with the discovery of Utah & the Navajo country... A region full of beautiful national parks.... Honestly we could spend months and months there..

USA • Arizona

Continuation and end of our western adventures in the magnificent state of Arizona... pffffff it's been hot...

Far West • Utah & Navajo Lands road trip [USA] 2/3 ENG

FR | ENG

Continuation of our adventures in the west of the USA with the discovery of Utah & the Navajo country... A region full of beautiful national parks.... Honestly we could spend months and months there..

→ DAY 8 • Springdale via Las Vegas

[ 118 miles • 2h10 Las Vegas - 163 miles • 2h45 Springdale  ]

Springdale gives off an atmosphere that we liked right away... We arrived at the gates of Zion National Park... Yes, there are lots of hotels, restaurants and tourists everywhere but the atmosphere is nice, relaxed & sporty... We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express... Nothing exceptional, but all the buildings of the small town seem to respect a certain height & color and blend completely in the red ochre canyon of Zion... For dinner, I recommend you to go to Bit & Spur, a saloon with a Mexican-inspired cuisine and a nice terrace in the back with a view on the canyon cliffs...

Before talking about the national park, let's talk about prices... If you are going to visit 3 or more national parks (be careful, the "Stats Park" are not included), you have to get at the entrance of the first park you visit  "The Beautiful Pass" for a value of $80 valid for one year & transferable to 2 people... it's ideal & really profitable!

Zion National Park... Honestly a nice surprise... It is really a park which is often put aside in the "tours" which propose the agencies in Switzerland or on the catalogs of trips... We do not understand, because it is magnificent .... our bus driver... Because yes in the park it is forbidden to take its car (and so much better, otherwise that would be infernal), told us that Zion had passed to the 3rd rank of the most visited national parks in the USA! It's understandable, considering the number of hikes - walks - activities you can find in the park.

So you'll understand... to get the most out of it, you have to get up early to avoid the crowd, be the first at the bus stop and avoid the wait, be alone on the different hikes and especially to be able to do several in one day if your time is limited... Unfortunately like us!

 We did 3 hikes in one day:

• Emerald pool Trail followed directly by the Kayenta Trail... An easy hike that brings us to the 3 waterfalls: Lower, Middle & Upper Emerald Pool, and makes us discover a thick and climbing vegetation... and that's exactly what we really liked in Zion... These red cliffs and this vegetation which seems to want to cover it by climbing on it. The Kayenta Trail allows to follow the Virgin River in height and to admire views on the whole canyon. (bus stop n°5 pick up at n°6)

• The Narrows... A walk... Followed by a walk at the bottom of the canyon... after about 20 minutes of walking... the path gives way to the river, let's go for the adventure... but to be able to do it, you have to rent waterproof shoes at the entrance of the park allowing you to walk in the rather cold water of the Virgin River... (last bus stop n° 9)

• Angels Landing... Unfortunately we did not have the time to do this walk which is said to be magnificent because it allows to reach a promontory with a view over the whole canyon... The walk is quite difficult and lasts about 4 hours for 8.6km with more than 400m of difference in height (those who suffer from vertigo should not do it)... Next time I hope so!

As mentioned in our 1st article "Far West - california & the nevada road trip", in addition to adding a night in Las Vegas we would have very willingly added a night in Zion... And probably removed a night in Bryce (see next step) in order to be able to do the Angels Landing walk... because according to us, a big half-day would be enough in Bryce to discover the amphitheater properly, while in Zion the possibilities seem endless...

After a late picnic in Springdale... Departure to discover one of the most beautiful roads of our trip the Mount Carmel Road... A scenic road paved in red-ochre to match the cliffs of Zion National Park. This road from Springdale to Bryce winds its way through the canyon and offers some amazing views. Just after the one-way tunnel (direction Bryce), stop on the right at the small parking lot, to make a last walk: the Canyon Overlook Trail... do you think the view is worth it?

It is really late when we leave Zion with a point of regret... But the adventure continues direction Bryce...

→ DAYS 9 & 10 • Bryce Canyon

[ 82 miles • 1h45  ]

Our day yesterday made us knocked out... This time we didn't get up at dawn, because the weather was overcast and we were very tired... After a mediocre breakfast at the Best Western of Bryce Village (atmosphere much less nice than Springdale... more reason to make 2 nights in Springdale and 1 night in Bryce), departure to discover this amphitheater.

Then even if we are not there at the sunrise, we begin by the Sunrise point... Whouaaaa... The first sight on the amphitheater and its multitudes of Hoodoos is impressive... Moreover the cold of duck is also impressive... For me it will be a down jacket, mini gloves and ear muffs... Yes yes, it's curling! The coolest thing with this super changeable weather sun - rain - cloud - sun - cloud - rain... At each passage of clouds, the sun re-illuminates the amphitheater or only a part of it... so we wait for this show with impatience to discover the magnificent colors.

We decide then to leave to the assault of hoodoos and to go down in the heart of the amphitheater by the Queen's Garden Trail followed by the Navajo Loop Trail in order to join the Sunset point... the descent is easy and pleasant, we observe every hoodoos, we wait for the clearings... a real spectacle... the ascent was however a little bit more strong... with its way in laces... but magnificent nevertheless!

In one full day, it is possible to see all the other viewpoints: Inspiration point & Bryce Point... we wouldn't know which one is the most beautiful... each time the view is breathtaking!

If we had to stay again in Bryce, we would choose without hesitation The Lodge At Bryce Canyon, located in the national park a few meters from the amphitheater & surrounded by vegetation. If the budget doesn't allow it... at least go to their restaurant for a mountain atmosphere followed by a little walk along the amphitheater... We were lucky enough to take the walk accompanied by a herd of bambis... They were really not afraid of us... it was magic!

→ Days 11 & 12 • Moab

[ 265 miles • 5h00 via Hway 12 & 24  ]

It's a long stage, because we decided to drive on Highway 12, which makes the road a bit longer... But we were not disappointed... this road of Utah winds through so many different landscapes... Canyons, ridges, petrified dunes... so if your western tour takes you from Bryce to Moab or vice versa... Without any hesitation, take this route via Escalante, Boulder, Torrey & Capitol Reef National (Highway 24). We unfortunately did not visit the latter because it was raining (the only drops of the whole trip) but just crossing it via Hwy 24...It was very beautiful!

Arrived at the end of the day in Moab...The temperature has clearly risen since our departure from Bryce... Here we are in the desert and that feels! We discover finally our "glamping" with our tent all equipped...Under Canvas : a "luxury" camping with all the conveniences but which pays attention to its impact on nature and its water consumption... I find the charm of the safari tents of our road trip in Namibia in the middle of the USA... I love it! (only drawback of this camp, the proximity of the 191 road... according to the wind we hear it too much, really a pity)... Under Canvas has other camps in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion... Without any doubt, we would stay there during a future road trip in the USA!

After a very cold night... Our day starts at dawn, because we only have one whole day in Moab... & honestly it's NOT enough, because there is so much to do and see here!

But to start us off right, this morning we planned a helicopter flight (early birthday present for Marc)...  A way to have a nice first view of this landscape. So we met at 6:30 am at the Canyonlands airport for a flight with Pinnacle Helicopters... Ben, our pilot, installs us in his R44 (Marc is in the paradise...) and it is left for a flight of 45 minutes with a sun which starts to illuminate all the landscape: Dead Horse Point, the Colorado river, Potash Ponds & Island in Sky of the Canyon Lands National Park... In short we take a lot of eyes & we are happy to have got up at dawn... We let you discover the landscapes without adding other comments!

This flight gave us even more desire to discover all these parks and these breathtaking landscapes... So we went first to the Dead Horse Point State Park be careful, here the "Beautiful Pass" does not work)... But you absolutely have to go there to see the view of the river below that we just flew over... Colorado Gooseneck & the Potash Ponds!

Our journey continues towards Canyonlands National Park... This park is composed of 3 parts : Island in The Sky, The Neddles & The Maze... we explored the Island in The Sky, until the Grand View Overlook... Small picnic with an impressive view... We feel really tiny in front of this immensity... Can you find me on the picture 😅?

The heat becoming overwhelming... we decide to make a small nap in our glamping before taking again the road at the end of the afternoon to finally discover the Arches National Park... But even at 5 pm, the heat remains hardly bearable... We decide to make first a small walk towards Landscape Arch, then on the road of the return a stop at Skyline Arch... impressive and magnificent with this luminosity of the end of day. But considering the temperatures, we shall not make the walk towards Delicate Arch... we shall see it from far from Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint... It is a pity, we are a little disappointed, but we do not take the risk! We finish our day by a photo session... It is really what we love in our trips, "to waste time" to make photos, to wait for the good light, to scrutinize the hidden animal or to wait simply that the other tourists leave to take advantage of the site only for us... So we went to the Window Section where we found many arches not far from each other: Double Arch, North & South Arches...

This marathon day, we can say it, will have been so rich... I keep a magnificent memory of it and I can only advise to plan 2 to 3 days more in Moab in order to be able to take advantage of all these parks and all the proposed activities (4x4, rafting, mountain bike,...).

→ DAYS 13 & 14 • Monument Valley [navajo lands]

[ 146 miles • 2h30 ]

After a good night under tent in our pretty glamping in Moab... we left for a day road trip... 2 options are offered to us before taking the direction of Monument Valley: to return to Arches National Park and to make the walk towards Delicate Arch that we had not had courage to make the evening before because of the heat or to go to try to see Potash Ponds more closely... we choose the 2nd option a little more out of the beaten tracks... thus on the road on Potash Road n°279...

During all the 1st part, we go along the Colorado river of a brown-green color, then we arrive at the factory...  In fact it is a mine of KCl... The water of the ponds is artificially tinted in blue to accelerate the evaporation and thus the formation of crystals of KCl. Unfortunately, there is no possibility of making a visit of the site, it is a pity... We decide then to continue the road which becomes more and more sportive... (if you don't have a 4x4 don't drive!!!) to finally arrive at the edge of ponds...

After a lunch break in the small town of Moab and put back of my road emotions... yes, the road until the ponds is really bumpy especially the last part... Direction Monument Valley! The road is quite long and monotonous, we cross almost deserted cities... So to motivate ourselves, we put on the music in our Dodge which is a little bit soft, we must say! On the way we see the Mexican Hat, a rock in the shape of sombrero, then we make a stop at the Forest Gump Point... but the sun being in front of us and not yet low enough, we decide to come back the morning of our departure to benefit from the light in our back illuminating the whole road.

We arrive in the late afternoon in the country of the Navarjos, located in Utah & mainly in Arizona but be careful, here we keep the time of Utah! Honestly, we were a little bit apprehensive, because we had planned 2 nights and I had had some negative feedbacks... "too many tourists", "it's only 3 blocks of rocks", "we're bored"... anyway for us, it was a wonderful stage...

it is true that as soon as we arrived... we see the big building of the View Hotel et son parking, and there we tear up a little... but good, we park the car to go to the reception and there directly under our eyes we discover the 3 hills... we understand better the site of the hotel and of course its name... no other word than "magnificent" with this light of end of day!

To avoid being in a concrete block, I had reserved the cabin belonging to the hotel... at the time of the reservation, I was a little skeptical, but what a joy to discover these fully equipped cabins, away from the main building and parking... But with the same view !

For our 2 mornings spent in Monument Valley... we woke up at dawn to find the good spot... but not need to go very far, we take possession of a big rock, not far from our cabin and very close to the beginning of the Valley Loop Drive...  We spent hours there to take photos, to contemplate the spectacle & to make stagings of cowboy... it was great, we were alone with 2 or 3 other photographers... No noise just us and the nature... (except during the 2nd morning... an invasion of Japanese at 6 am which lasted hardly 3 minutes... that surprised us & also made us laugh!)

After a breakfast... Let's go for the Valley Loop Drive... (Be careful, you must have a 4x4 or at least an elevated car... If you don't have one, you'll have to sign up for a tour organized and directed by the Navajos on board their big open jeeps... But be careful, you will swallow a lot of dust).

We are in full western... the track is nevertheless rather well maintained, we take our time to make all the loop and to benefit from every point of view... The main attraction is the John Ford's Point, favorite place of the director of the same name. At this place you can wait patiently that the Navajo takes his horse and puts himself in pose on the promontory... and with some $ you will be able to go up yourself on the horse... hihhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaa!!!

In the afternoon we wanted to go for a horseback ride to immortalize even more the feeling of being a real cowboy in the Wild West... But unfortunately the wind came up and an impressive sandstorm formed, forcing us to take refuge in our pretty cabin...

Before our departure for Arizona... We returned in the beginning of morning to the Forest Gump Point, in 13 miles of Monument Valley on the hway 163 in direction of Bluff... Where Forest decided to stop running... The view is beautiful with this straight road and the buttes in the background... But BEWARE of the cars passing at full speed threatening the tourists who put themselves in the middle of the road to have the best shot... 

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A true mine of information!

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→ Discover the rest of our adventures in the USA in our articles below

USA • California & Nevada

Beginning of our beautiful road trip adventure in the USA... Which will make us cross California, a small part of Nevada, Utah & finish in beauty under a burning heat in Arizona... But to be honest, we organized this trip because I wanted a "simpler" trip compared to our last adventures in Mongolia, but we were afraid to be disappointed... first of all because we had already seen all these landscapes in magazines or in movies, the crowd of tourists, the American mentality & of course the food... but this trip was way beyond our desires and our expectations... in 1 word : GREAT !

USA • Arizona

Continuation and end of our western adventures in the magnificent state of Arizona... pffffff it's been hot...

Norte Grande • Sometimes alone in the world [Chile] ENG

FR | ENG

Here we go for a roadtrip in the north of Chile, from Arica to San Pedro de Atacama through desert & lonely landscapes...

For this Chilean part of our trip of October 2015, We wish to propose you a photo novel which, according to us, speaks more than any well or badly written story... So take your mouse or thumb (if you are on your smartphone or tablet) & scroll to discover all these arid, lonely & beautiful landscapes...

→ Arica & Putre

Route Chile 11 de Arica à Putre

Putre (3500m) 

Parque National Lauca • Parinacota volcan, Lago Chunara (4500m)

Norte Grande • Suriplaza

Reserva National Las Vicunas & Salar Surire (4250m)

Route du Salar Surire à Codpa

Vallée fertile de Codpa - Guanacagua (2000m)

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→ Inquique

Ville fantôme Humberstone

Salara Huasco (3700m)

Oasis de Pica

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→ Calama

Chuquicamata

The largest open pit copper mine in the world
(size of the mine: 8km2 & 1250m deep, size of a truck tire: 3m high)

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→ San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama

Geysers d'El Tatio

Valle de la Luna

Salar de Capur

Lagunas Miniques & Miscanti

 • deserts, volcanoes, salars & lagoons, 4 words to describe the Chilean Norte Grande region • 

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2 favorites accommodations in this Chilean journey

Terrace Lodge
Circunvalacion 25
Putre (Arica) Chile

One of the lodgings that we especially appreciated in the region of Putre. We recommend it especially for the welcome of Falvio & Patricia. 2 Italian polyglots "lost" in the Norte Grande of Chile, but who know their region like the back of their hand... Their advice was very, very precious to us... a big thank you to them both!

Hôtel Terrantai 
Calle Tocopilla 411
San Pedro de Atacama (Chile)

Hotel Terrantai this hotel is a cosy and charming accommodation, welcome after all those dusty roads, but still curiously quiet considering its location in the heart of the lively little town.

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PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS

• always bring enough gasoline (bring gas cans depending on your itinerary, but be careful with the vapor pressure in the cans when you go up in altitude)

• always bring enough water, it can be cold but also very hot

• always inform someone of your itinerary

• beware of altitude sickness

• in San Pedro de Atacama, if you don't have your rental car anymore (as we did when we came back from Bolivia), avoid taking part in the organized excursions, except maybe the Geysers of El Tatio since you have to leave very early in the morning and drive at night on a non-lit track. We regretted a lot our organized excursions, because there were too many people and no freedom. A Europcar rental agency has "recently" opened in San Pedro, so for our last day, we decided to rent a car to find our freedom..

Detailed itinerary
Arica (1 night) • Putre (3 nights) • Codpa (1 night) • Inquique (2 nights) • Calama (1 night) •
Circuit in the south of Bolivia • San Pedro de Atacama (4 nights)

Los Lipez & Salar Uyuni • To be seen once in a lifetime [Bolivia] ENG

FR | ENG

Itinerary by jeep to discover the southern part of Bolivia: region of high wild plains, volcanic peaks, lagoons of all colors & THE biggest salar...

This trip dates back to October 2015 (long before this blog) but while browsing through our photos recently, we felt like sharing this beautiful corner of the planet with you. At first, we don't know why but South America was not a destination of choice in the bucket list, until one of Tracy's colleagues (SM... who I hope will recognize herself) showed me a picture of the Los Lipes area taken with her "old" smartphone... it's good, Tracy had found our next destination!

For this article, we prefer to make you a photo novel, rather than blabbering about our journey... so let yourself be carried by scrolling the screen... (but if you have any questions about the itinerary, don't hesitate to contact us).

Laguna Blanca

Laguna verde & Volcan Licancabur

Dali Desert

Laguna Colorada 

Even if the weather was a little bit capricious, the Laguna Colorada was no less impressive with its red color and its countless pink flamingos.

Sol de Manana

Colchani

Isla Incahuasi

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Salar d'Uyuni

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The photo session on the Salar with our guide, Abel, which we strongly recommend, was memorable... we really had a good laugh during the whole road trip... Thanks Abel!

Valle de las Rocas

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Our 2 hotels of charm... very nice favorites in the middle of nowhere, but beware of altitude sickness... digestion was difficult in the Siloli desert.

Hotel Luna Salada
Edge to the Salt Lake
Uyuni, Bolivia

Hotel Tayka del Desierto
Désert de Siloli
Bolivia

 • Did the pictures convince you to go to the south of Bolivia? • 

Detailed itinerary
Chile : Arica • Putre  • Codpa  • Inquique  • Calama • San Pedro de Atacama
Bolovia : Désert de Siloli (1 night) • Uyuni (2 nights) 
Chile : San Pedro de Atacama

Namibia • Pure change of scenery [Namibia] ENG

FR | ENG

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Looking for a new destination for your vacations? We propose you an overview of this magnificent country, Namibia, land of wide open spaces, lunar landscapes and wild animals! A treat for your eyes...

On board your 4x4 (check your tires before leaving the rental agency) in self-drive and equipped with a map (no GPS, otherwise it would be too simple and not enough adventure), you are ready to discover this magnificent country. You will drive through breathtaking landscapes, villages lost in the middle of nowhere and go in search of the BIG 5 during your safaris in Etosha Park.

→ Kalahari Desert

South of Windhoek begins the Kalahari Desert, the first immersion in the African bush after a day in the small, almost European capital. The desert which extends over a part of Namibia, South Africa and Botswana covers an area of 900'000 km2, you will already be impressed by these vast, colorful and so sparsely populated landscapes.

The Kalahari Red Dune Lodge is a nice address to recommend with its semi-solid tents, its terraces in camouflage mode to protect yourself from the heat and also to be as discreet as possible in order to observe a maximum of animals that would come to quench their thirst at the watering hole right in front of your room.

→ Nambi Naukluft Nationa Park & Sossusvlei

Next stop and not the least, the Nambi Naukluft Nationa Park & Sossusvlei. Before arriving there, you will leave the well paved roads, to finally join the tracks which you will not leave any more until Etosha. The desert road or almost crosses mountainous landscapes and the Tsaris Pass before leaving gradually the place to sand and dunes.

Sossus Dune Logde, the only lodge inside the Nambi Naukluft Nationa Park is composed of eco-friendly rooms in an African style, built with wooden frames, canvas for the walls and topped with a thatched roof. The best thing about this beautiful place is that you can access Sossusvlei and its famous dunes before sunrise (while all the other tourists living outside the Park have to wait for the gates to open after dawn!)

Sossuvlei... There are no words to describe these majestic landscapes... dunes up to 200m high and dry lakes. 

Dead Vlei is a magnificent sight with its petrified, dead trees embedded in the dry lake overlooked by the huge Big Daddy Dune. Dune 45 (45km from Sesreim) is breathtakingly beautiful... To climb it at sunset, the view will be even more magnificent with its glowing colors... And if you are lucky, you will see an oryx roaming through the dunes.

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→ Swakopmund

On your way back from Sesreim... Don't forget to refuel in Solitaire... Yes, there is a place with this name... And it is very well named! I warned you! The road to Swakopmund is also splendid and varied... You will take the Gaub Pass and its tight and winding road, then you will start the long crossing of the desert before arriving at the Atlantic Ocean, at Walis Bay and will continue your road, invaded by the sand of the surrounding dunes, by following the coast until Swapomund.

From Swakopmund, you can make a day trip along the Skeleton Coast (boats stranded on the sand) to the north to Cape Cross... Be careful, sensitive noses should not be involved... But it would be a shame to miss this show: a huge colony of sea lions with babies, big males and their harems.

→ Damarland

Then back inland to the Damarland, here the landscape changes completely between mountain and desert. It is much warmer than on the coast and the fog is no longer present. On the way you will meet many farmers with their cattle... and with a lot of luck wild animals in total freedom.

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Dora! Nawas Lodge is a warmly welcoming address, situated in the Aba-Huab River valley with a splendid view from the roof of the main building over the Etendeka mountain and the red stone hills of Twyfelfontein. The spacious rooms allow you to shower in privacy on the balcony and take out the king-size bed to sleep under the stars with all the comforts! 2 great things to do in the area: the visit of Twyfelfonteinst one of the largest African cave art gallery registered in the UNESCO world heritage and a safari in search of desert elephants in complete freedom.

→ Etosha National Park

Last big step of this tour: the Etosha National Park. A 22'000km2 game reserve including the Etosha Pan. With your own rental car, a picnic lunch and enough water, go in search of the different waterholes to discover an incredible wildlife... No need to be accompanied by a ranger, the animals will come to you... herds of zebra, wildebeest, impala, oryx, elephants... Warthogs, giraffes and if you are lucky lions & rhinos! It's like coming straight out of Disney's Lion King!

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Andersson's Camp is located in the Ongava Private Game Reserve next to the Andresson Gate of Etosha National Park. This camp, ideally located, is authentic with its small tents with balcony and its special shower, its outdoor lounge with view on the animals and its underground passage allowing to go in an invisible way next to the water point to see and hear the animals drinking! The highlight being to be a few centimeters away from a white rhino & a black rhino and its young drinking... MAGIC!!!

There is still a lot to see in this magical country like the Fish River Canyon, the Victoria Falls, Swakopmund, Walis Bay, the Waterberg Palteau Park, the Caprivi Strip... We will come back for sure!

 • So what are you waiting for? Let yourself be tempted •