Southern France: River walks
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Wet-feet-hiker and little fishes.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 10.008] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This hiker is having a break in the Bevera river south of Olivetta. He is accompanied by many curious young fishes (Liguria, Italy). Photo Paul Smit.
Hiking the riverbed of the Bléone.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9933] Following the riverbed of the Bléone, which can be more then 1 km wide, feels like hiking in the Canadian wilderness. 'Wet feet hiking' (following a stream) is a great way to explore untouched nature (photo taken near Marcoux, between Digne and La Javie, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, southeast France). Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiking in the Bevera.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 10.005] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This hiker follows the Bevera at Bossare near Olivetta (Liguria, Italy). Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiker with curious little fishes.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 10.011] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This hiker, getting not only his feet wet, is accompanied by a whirl of curious little fishes, in the Bevera river south of Olivetta (Liguria, Italy). Photo Paul Smit.
Cubism in the Gorges de Daluis.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9955] Having a refreshing break during a river walk in the Gorges de Daluis (Alpes-Maritimes, France). This canyon, one of the most spectacular in France, is easily accessible if you accept wet feet; the water doesn't get deeper then 30 cm. Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9930] Following the riverbed of the Bléone, which can be more then 1 km wide, feels like hiking in the Canadian wilderness. 'Wet feet hiking' (following a stream) is a great way to explore untouched nature (north of Digne, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, southeast France). Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiking in the Bevera.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 10.001] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This hiker, getting more then only his feet wet, follows the Bevera upstream, at Bossare near Olivetta (Liguria, Italy). Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiker in the Gorges de Daluis.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9973] There are spots where hardly any light reaches the bottom of the steep and narrow Gorges de Daluis (Alpes-Maritimes, France). Carved in red slate, with its shades of purple and violet, it is one of the most beautiful and spectacular canyons in Europe. At just 1,5 hours from Nice and the Côte d'Azur it is more accessible then its famous counterparts in the American Southwest, but you meet fewer hikers. If you don't mind getting wet feet you can walk its complete length. Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiking in the Bevera.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 9998] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This hiker, getting more then only his feet wet, follows the Bevera upstream, at Bossare near Olivetta (Liguria, Italy). Photo Paul Smit.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 9989] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This hiker is having a break during a hike up the Bevera, at the medieval bridge near Collabassa (Liguria, Italy). Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Like folded paper (Gorges de Daluis).
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9965] Massive rock looking like folded alu paper, one of the highlights of the Gorges de Daluis, at a 1,5 hour drive from Nice and the Côte d'Azur. This gorge, carved in red slate, is as spectaculair as the famous slot canyons of the American Southwest. And although it is closer to civilisation and more easily accessible, it attracts less visitors. I counted thirteen on a sunny august day! You can hike the complete length of the canyon if you are not afraid of wet feet. Photo Paul Smit.
Like folded paper (Gorges de Daluis).
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9962a] Massive rock looking like folded paper, one of the highlights of the Gorges de Daluis, at a 1,5 hour drive from Nice and the Côte d'Azur. This gorge, carved in red slate, is as spectaculair as the famous slot canyons of the American Southwest. And although it is closer to civilisation and more easily accessible, it attracts less visitors. I counted thirteen on a sunny august day! You can hike the complete length of the canyon if you are not afraid of wet feet. Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9949] After leaving the narrow Gorges de Daluis (not visible, at left) the Var valley stays very beautiful and natural. The riverbed has become larger because the rock changed from red slate (gorge) to limestone (picture). Alpes-Maritimes, France. Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiker in the Gorges de Daluis.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9978] There are spots where hardly any light reaches the bottom of the steep and narrow Gorges de Daluis (Alpes-Maritimes, France). Carved in red slate, with its shades of purple and violet, it is one of the most beautiful and spectacular canyons in Europe. At just 1,5 hours from Nice and the Côte d'Azur it is more accessible then its famous counterparts in the American Southwest. If you don't mind getting wet feet you can walk its complete length. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Wet-feet-hiker and little fishes.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 10.010] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This hiker is having a break in the Bevera river south of Olivetta. He is accompanied by many curious young fishes (Liguria, Italy). Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE.COTEDAZUR 10.019] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking' - following a river. This hiker, amazed by an anticline in the local white limestone, follows the Esteron. (West of Gilette, Alpes-Maritimes, southeast France). Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9936] Polygons of sunbaked clay in the riverbed of the Bléone, caused by the summer drought after the winter floods that deposited the clay (photo taken west of La Javie, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, southeast France). Following the river bed of the Bléone, which can be more then 1 km large, means hiking in the wilderness. 'Wet feet hiking' (following a stream) is a great way to explore untouched nature. Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiking in the Bevera.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 10.000] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This hiker, getting more then only his feet wet, follows the Bevera upstream, at Bossare near Olivetta (Liguria, Italy). Photo Paul Smit.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9976] Carved in red slate, with its shades of purple and violet, the steep and narrow Gorges de Daluis (Alpes-Maritimes, France) is one of the most beautiful and spectacular canyons in Europe. At just 1,5 hours from Nice and the Côte d'Azur it is more accessible then its famous counterparts in the American Southwest, with less hikers. If you don't mind getting wet feet you can walk its complete length. Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiker in the Gorges de Daluis.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9967] Carved in red slate, with its shades of purple and violet, the steep and narrow Gorges de Daluis (Alpes-Maritimes, France) is one of the most beautiful and spectacular canyons in Europe. At just 1,5 hours from Nice and the Côte d'Azur it is more accessible then its famous counterparts in the American Southwest, but you meet less people. If you don't mind getting wet feet you can walk its complete length. Photo Mick Palarczyk.
Wet-feet-hiker in the Esteron.
[FRANCE.COTEDAZUR 10.021] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking' - following a river. This hiker follows the Esteron (near La Clave below Gilette, Alpes-Maritimes, southeast France). Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiking in the Bevera.
[ITALY.LIGURIA 9991] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking'; following a river. This photo is taken underwater in river Bevera between Torri and Collabassa (Liguria, Italy). Photo Paul Smit.
Wet-feet-hiker in the Esteron.
[FRANCE.COTEDAZUR 10.017] A great way to explore untouched nature is 'wet feet hiking' - following a river. This hiker follows the Esteron. (West of Gilette, Alpes-Maritimes, southeast France). Photo Paul Smit.
Like folded paper (Gorges de Daluis).
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9962b] Massive rock looking like folded paper, one of the highlights of the Gorges de Daluis, at a 1,5 hour drive from Nice and the Côte d'Azur. This gorge, carved in red slate, is as spectaculair as the famous slot canyons of the American Southwest. And although it is closer to civilisation and more easily accessible, it attracts less visitors. I counted thirteen on a sunny august day! You can hike the complete length of the canyon if you are not afraid of wet feet. Photo Paul Smit.
At the exit of the Gorges de Daluis.
[FRANCE.ALPSSOUTH 9953] Hiker following the river Var upstream, before entering the Gorges de Daluis (Alpes-Maritimes, France). The gorge is carved in red rock. At the spot where the photo is taken this red slate surfaces for the first time. It formed as clay in a shallow lagoon that sometimes dried before flooding again. Since then - the Permian age - the clay petrified. At top right you can see a fossilized, 255 million years old surface, with the drying cracks in the once wet clay perfectly visible. Photo Paul Smit.
