Friday, July 15. The program today: The Rhune and his train, Saint-Jean-de-Luz with the tip of Sainte-Barbe and the fort of Socoa for the day and evening, return to Guiche to see his fireworks.
But first, the video. Or rather the videos because the video core is long (25 minutes) I had to cut it in half so it can go on Youtube. This video report is very different from
other usual because I wanted to not give you the explanations and history on this video but just make you discover the countryside. So just be lulled by the video, if there is sleepiness,
it's normal! I also stated that there is a small problem when the fireworks. I'd say it's normal because my microphone from 120db to 10db is not too fond of the abrupt
change and therefore put a split second to recalibrate, fraction where it was time to hear the little problem sound. On this: good videos !
10:45: Departure of the train of Rhune. Let's go for 35 minutes, 4.2km long and 716m of elevation gain in the small cog. The train uses the three-phase current to propel themselves
to an average speed of 8km/h and has been since 1924. If you do not want to take the train, it is also possible to make the journey on foot is put at about 2:30 to climb and 1 hour to
1h30 for the climb-down.
Once arrived at the top, we discover the splendor of the landscape seen from that height. Where clouds form spirals driven by the wind in the valleys, where the eye
is far to the ocean. By saint-jean-de-Luz, the Bayonne, and the top of the Rhune: Spain. Here's something new on the site to make the best scenery that can be seen.
All you need is Flash Player and fun to walk around and zoom in the image.
After enjoying the scenery, I explore a little on top and I do well, there is first of all pottok (pronounced pottiok), the wild horses of the region. As well as
sheep, goats and bears-photographer.
A little further, one can see a plateau where many people have written with stones the name of someone important to them, the lover or girlfriend. It seems it would
be luck. So why not me? After all this is perhaps a legend ...
Even a short tour of the plateau before descending is that's getting hungry.
We take the train and still admire the landscape, but on the other side this time. It should also be aware that the train of the Rhune is energy efficient, in fact,
instead of using the current zo go up and down, it uses its own engine to slow the descent and act dynamo. Thus, it produces power for the train that goes up
(and saves energy). Not stupid that little train.
After a good meal in a restaurant located at the foot of the train (the 3 fountains) we take the road to Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The beach is packed with people ... no swimming for us today.
We decide to do the docks towards the tip of Sainte-Barbe and once arrived the view is beautiful and relaxing. We can observe rather unusual geological formations on the shores of
the beach of Saint Jean de Luz, Sainte-barbe and socoa by exemple. These formations are called ''Flysch''.These are rocks composed of alternating beds of limestone with flint,
marly limestone and marl, all dating from the Cretaceous period (-145 millions to -65 millions years ago). These formations are reminiscent of stacks of plates due to the difference
in hardness of the formation. Erosion destroyed more quickly soft and friable rocks (marl) and more slowly the rocks a little harder (limestone).
We're back on the beach and we take the opportunity to walk around town, we find lots good things like Muxu (pronounced Mouchou), the ''macaroons''as we know them usually. but which is actually
two macaroons glued together by the forage. The real macaroon was created by Mr. Adam (whose house is always cooking the famous macaroons) for the marriage of the king of France,
Louis XIV, in 1660. For the record also ''Muxu'' in Basque means kiss.
We come then to Socoa and his fort.
After admiring the waves crashing on the foothills of Socoa, we return to where we will Guiche, imperturbable the barrel of the Adour.
Shortly after we eat we gather with the villagers around the barrel to see the fireworks from the opposite bank. it farts around and I even chance (?) to receive a piece of
rocket on the head (luckily my hat protected me a bit). And it is these pictures that ends the day.
