Dwight Peck's personal website

Le Tour de Chaux Ronde

The summer spent watching the US and German bankers pick off the low-hanging fruit


You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.

We're newly back from Uruguay, and Kristin has moved along to the USA (belatedly; United Airlines decided to skip flying on her departure day, so she came home on the train and had another go at it the following day). Now we're occupying our idle moments cleverly until it's our own turn to be similarly mistreated.

Le Tour de Chaux Ronde

Some days prior to our horrific "canicule" or European heatwave, during which we've been refusing to go outdoors at all (except to the beer store and the village rubbish dump), when it was still unseasonably chilly and overcast, we talked Dr Joe into pushing us along around the "Tour de Chaux Ronde". 21 June 2015.

We're starting at the Col de la Croix (a favorite with weekend motorcycle pass-riders), at 1776 metres asl, with Villars-sur-Ollon behind us and the village of Les Diablerets straight ahead down over the pass to the north.

A favorite with automobile rallies as well

On the hoof

The seasonal village of Ensex (1812m) and, along the right, the long ridge leading to Chaux Ronde in the distance

Ensex, about half an hour out from the Col

Ensex (more views in better weather)

An hour later, there's the cog train coming up from Villars-sur-Ollon to the ski station at the Lac de Bretaye

We've just passed the top station at the Col de Bretaye and the ski lifts to Le Chamossaire; no photos of those this time -- we were so excited to run into an old friend leading his hiking clients, Matthew Richards, whom we last saw in 2003 when he was researching his thesis on Leysin for his qualification as an accompagnateur en montagne.

Farms above the Lac de Bretaye in the bowl, with the skilift atop the Petit Chamossaire

The Lac de Bretaye

We've left the road at the teeny suburb called Crêta -- looking back up at the top of Le Chamossaire

A quarter of an hour later, a liaison skilift and the farm of Conche (1838m)

Conche, with near the top of the ridge a new access road to the skilifts on Chaux Ronde (far right horizon)

Equipment malfunction

Still under the télésiège skilift

-- Where are you, Dr Joe? Poke your head up.

A big lump, the top of which is at 1966m

Into the jungle

Half an hour later: The only awkward muddy part of the walk for the knee-challenged -- coming out of the jungle to the farm of Perche

Perche (1790m), half an hour farther on from Conche

Looking back at the Perche farm, with the Chamossaire in the background -- now for a twisty little path straight up to get over to the right side of the ridge

We've got over the Col l'Encrène (1936m) above Ensex, and we're galloping along towards the carpark.

The Pyramides de Gypse -- we're turning down to the right. The massif of Les Diablerets all over the background.

So this is where the party is! The buvette of Chez Godi.


Feedback and suggestions are welcome if positive, resented if negative, . All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 5 July 2015.


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