Day 16: Lac Roumassot to la Plaine du Soussouéou

A chilly night by the lake, waking up to perfect lake reflections, so many cows with bells grazing that it sounded like churchbells ringing out over the mountains, forest paths down to the lac de Bious Artigous, coffee and route plotting, watching helicopters fly in to deliver supplies to the high up refuges, a tasty lunch but no room at the inn in Gabas, more forest paths so steep and mossy it was like climbing a giant green staircase thru the trees, a friendly robin, diverting off the GR10 to the Plaine de Soussouéou to camp, emerging out of the forest to realise its a golden paradise valley seated high up in the clouds, a kestrel hovering over as we pitched our tent amidst a carpet of purple crocuses next to the river, a boisterous fire and a brebis feast.

The Vital Statistics:
Total time hiking: 8h55
Peak: 2164m
Total ascent: 1675m
Total descent: 504m