Badlands of the Haute-Loire: Ravins de Corboeuf, Rosieres

Panorama of the Ravins de Corboeuf

2014, Death Valley and the searing heat of its iconic Badlands.

Fred's photo shows the fascinating volcanic landscapes in this part of France with the perfectly shaped cone volcanoes and the ravine formed by wind and water over millennia. 

It took me straight back to Death Valley in California and the vast stretches of Badlands. 

The Ravins de Corboeuf, are the Badlands of the Haute-Loire and the scale is vastly different but not so the impact.

We did an interesting walk around the perimeter, made even more interesting by missing the path and walking double the distance - sure made the picnic taste a whole lot better!

I notice how happy I am when in nature away from cars and the busyness of being in a city or town.  

Exploring the geography and geology around me is endlessly fascinating. And to get to see a classic 'badlands', with its fragile multicoloured clay heavily serrated and eroded, was a bonus indeed.

Colour detail.

Beautiful eroded forms

Rocher et Chapelle St-Michel d'Aiguille: Le Puy-en-Velay

Chapelle Saint-Michel floats on its volcano plug above Le Puy

It was about 7 years ago on another French road trip that we drove through Puy and I remember catching a glimpse of a remarkable church floating on the top of a volcanic plug. 

We have come back. We climbed the 268 steps carved into the volcanic rock to visit the chapel whose story goes back to 969. Through the eons there have been additions to the original chapel including the rampart walk and yet it retains its ancient and soulful heart.

The inside is just so beautiful, deeply carved into its rock base the chapel is decorated with faded frescoes that still move us as tourists or as pilgrims, just as they would have done for the thousand years of pilgrim souls who have passed here along their individual caminos. A special reflective moment for us.

The beautiful frescoes of the St Michael Chapel

Finding Truffade: Le Puy-en-Velay

Famous truffade indeed

There is the classic French Gratin Dauphinois which a served as a side dish. It is undoubtedly a treat and a delicious way to serve potatoes.  But when the Australian Masterchef judges say 'take it to the next level' that is when you get close to truffade.

We are in Le Puy-en-Velay ambling around the old village, it's a cold evening and I can sense Fred's nerves about the South Africa vs England RWC semi-final that is looming large. By a small stroke of magic we select a restaurant that is only servicing one hot dish and some salads, and it was the hot dish I had been looking out for, truffade.

A Haute-Loire regional speciality of thinly sliced potatoes smothered in melted Tome fraiche and a regional cheese called Cantal, oven baked in a metal dish with a side of jambon cru and dressed salad leaves. Having spent the day outdoors exploring the Puy pilgrim sites with the wind biting and not having enough layers with me to feel snug, this dish was comfort food heaven and deservedly famous. 

I also found my 'green gold' of the Haute-Loire at the morning market, the also famous Puy lentils which are the only lentils that have their own appellation. 
 

Sidebar: We are in a part of France where rugby holds neither interest nor fascination. We looked at a few sports bars for Fred to enjoy the semi-final and none of them appealed. So we are watching the game on the local TF 1 channel in our apartment, not much rugby atmosphere and a frustrating game. We sneaked into the final.