Between 18 and 26 July 2009 I went to Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval.  Together with about 50 members of the Belgian Pickup-club, we stayed on a camping at the far end of the Giffre-valley.  In this part of the valley there are no houses, just a few mountain refuges and the Camping Municipal du Pelly. It is located in a by nature formed dead end, shaped like a tremendous amphitheatre.  There are more than 30 waterfalls feeding the local Giffre-river.  The natural beauty is overwhelming here.  Needless to say that many hiking tours are possible in this amazing nature. But you also have to take into account that sudden rainfall can swell up the side rivers as well as the main river and that you have to be aware of finding shelter on higher grounds very quickly.

In the village of Sixt you can hire some mountainbikes or the more adventurous can find out about canyonning or rafting.

Flying conditions were good in the beginning and at the end of our holiday.  We mostly flew from two local starting places in Samoëns, Les Saix and La Bourgeoise on the Col de Joux Plane, a famous ascension in the Tour de France.  At the end of the week conditions were really great and thermal activity gave us the chance to reach cloudbase.  Some happy few made beautiful crosses and others were lucky to do some great flights in the alpine village of Les Gets.  Due to rainfall and some severe thunderstorms we were grounded for 3 days.  During one of these days we went with a little group to the Col d'Arâches to watch one of the laps of the Tour de France.  Near the road, where the whole cycling-circus would drive by, I found a nice field where I unfolded my wing.  There were about 8 (!!!!) choppers in the air following the riders, overmediatized and sponsored by European products made in China, this was the ideal event to get into action.  A local administrator asked if I could remove the wing, it was laying under a giant bikers-shirt that mentionned Vive le Tour and the name of the village.  This person told me the village had paid 15.000 Euro for broadcasting an air view of the village together with this giant shirt.  To avoid trouble and to prevent the confiscation of the wing I moved it about 10 metres.  The advertising caravan and the bicycle racers rushed through the village escorted by the choppers… at the end of the day I got the confirmation that the wing was seen during the life broadcast, mission accomplished. 

Enjoy the pictures!

27-08-2009, 00:00 geschreven door Primaxx