Some winter pics from the Pyrenees

[multiweb (Marc)]

Payolle and Pla de l'Arcouade. -6c at 9:00am, little snow at 1900m, sun and pleasant temperature from 10:30 to 16:30.

The artificial lake in #2 is frozen so are all of the little stream egdes. The red arrow in #2 bottom left is pointing to my grand father's old chalet. Actually took my first steps in that front yard, goes back quite a while now. Pic du midi is just on the left of #2 as well behind the person who took the shot. When I was little the lake wasn't there. It was just marshes and every autumn there were thousands of frogs coming out of it and going up hill in all the little streams in the hills and mountaine, not unlike those crabs migrations you see on TV. The roads were covered with them.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Interesting fact, the exposed rock face you see in #2 in the center to the right of the houses is a marble quarry. Most if not all the marble that was cut, polished there was then transported to Paris and ended up in the Palace in Versailles under Louis the 14th. At the time donkeys carried the loads up there. Hard yakka.

[gary]

Beautiful photos Marc!

Originally Posted by multiweb

Most if not all the marble that was cut, polished there was then transported to Paris and ended up in the Palace in Versailles under Louis the 14th. At the time donkeys carried the loads up there. Hard yakka.

Amazing how much energy donkeys have if you "let them eat brioches".

[RB (Andrew)]

Fantastic Marc!
And thanks for the background info.
Oh how I’d love to visit places like this.
One day....

[croweater (Richard)]

Nice shots Mark. My brother manages a chateau at Lautrec so I hope to make it there one day. Cheers Richard.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by gary

Beautiful photos Marc!
Amazing how much energy donkeys have if you "let them eat brioches".

Yeah we know how that turned out. And here we are 230 years later not much has changed and the gilet jaunes are out again. Not only for bread this time though.

Originally Posted by RB

Fantastic Marc!
And thanks for the background info.
Oh how I’d love to visit places like this.
One day....

Plenty of time. Definitely a nice place to visit. I'm going back in September for 4 weeks. Last time I went was in 2006.

Originally Posted by croweater

Nice shots Mark. My brother manages a chateau at Lautrec so I hope to make it there one day. Cheers Richard.

Nice. You should. Good food and wine too. My cousins are in Rhieumes next to Toulouse so not far out either.

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by multiweb

... there were thousands of frogs coming out of it and going up hill in all the little streams in the hills and mountaine, not unlike those crabs migrations you see on TV. The roads were covered with them.

You mean people or reptiles in this instance - you must be clear here

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by LewisM

You mean people or reptiles in this instance - you must be clear here

The primordial pond.

[LewisM]

Origins

[PCH (Paul)]

Amazing pics and added commentary Marc. Thanks for sharing 😄