New Year in the Massif Central

New year's Day arrived and Ribérac was enshrouded in a dense fog, not quite what my old Dad would have described as a 'peasouper' but nevertheless enough to make driving unconfortable.  After dropping Meg, our rather elderly cat off at the local Ribérac cattery which is situated in the hills just above our local honeyman in St Martin de Ribérac, we headed towards Périgueux, where just west of the city we burst into clear blue sunshine before hitting the A89 in the direction of Clermont Ferrand.

 

This way for all things water 

Lesley and I were off on a skiing trip to Le Mont Dore, a predominantely Victorian era spa town set in the chain of extinct volcanoes that form the spine of the Auvergne department in central France.  The most well-known volcano being the Puy de Dôme which rises to a height of 1464m.  Unfortunately you are no longer able to drive up to the summit since the death of 26 Polish tourists whose bus went off a mountain road near to Grenoble in 2007 killing all 26.  As a precaution the French authorities then forbade access to the summit of the Puy de Dôme by coach or car.  Through a European grant (how do the French manage it?) the building of a modern traction railway, the first in France for over a 100 years apparently, is now  underway.  This will be the only way, other than walking, to reach the summit.  But you will have to wait until sometime in 2012 to try it out.  The books tell us that the Puy de Dôme is one of the youngest in the volcanic chain that traverses the Auvergne and that reasurringly it last erupted in 5760BC.  It has also served as a stage finish for the Tour de France. 

 

Le Mont Dore still retaining its seasonal atmosphere

 

Everything you need here whilst holed up in the mountains 

Before heading for our apartment at the foot of the Puy de Sancy (h.1886m) we briefly familiarised oursevles with the town of Le Mont Dore.  It is very Alpine in appearance with plenty of mountain produce, such as the full range of Auvergne cheeses, saussicon, jambon de pays, vin chaud etc beautifully displayed in the rather cosy looking shops,  It also became quickly apparent that besides the skiing water also plays a big part in the local economy.  There was much evidence of Thermes, Hammans and Spas.  Water in one way or another is the lifeblood of the local economy.  After making ourselves 'bien installé we settled down for the night looking forward to a good day,s skiing on the morrow.

The only way is up, and there's no through road here