If you read my blog entry of a couple of years back you'll know that I passed through this odd place after crossing the Col de la Valle Etroite

The walk had been very beautiful and I had felt quite alone at approaching 3000 metres. Imagine my astonishment when the path to Modane took me through this place. It was like a ghost town. I saw not a soul (lunchtime in France!) and music was piped out of lamposts into the street. All this at about an altitude of 1550 metres.

I had just walked through the town when I took the photo. You can see in the distance the mountains over which I had walked. I found a seat by a table, got my stove out and cooked my lunch. I took the photo and telephoned my father. After lunch I continued down to Modane some 500 metres lower.

On reflection, it wasn't the most scenic place to have lunch and I should have stopped earlier.

Still... the place is probably packed at the moment... we're at the height of the skiing season... 'cos that's it's main function - a ski resort. The TGV whisking skiers from Paris to Modane in about four hours.

It doesn't look so bad in the snow. Given the awful grey, windy and wet weather we've been having for the last few months, I'd gladly swap to live in Valfrejus at the moment.