{ Three days in the mountains }

The temps are supposed to go up the next few days, but coincidently we had booked these three days in the mountains weeks ago.

Can't wait to go walking/hiking in the forest, admiring fauna & flora, and enjoying a chiller weather. (this will probably make me crave rainy chilly cozy autumn days ... eheh) I hope we'll see dreamy views such as the photo above (not taken by me, btw). We'll leave home tomorrow morning, will use a car we rented, and will stay there until Wednesday afternoon, then we'll come back home.

This granite and schist outcrop is a major water catchment area in the Massif Central, being located where clouds from the cold Atlantic converge with warm Mediterranean air currents. The heavy rainfall has given the mountain its name: originally "Aiqualis" ('the watery one'). In an average year rainfall can measure up to 2250 mm (over 7ft), making it the wettest place in France. Mont Aigoual forms part of the watershed between the Mediterranean and Atlantic.
The meteorological observatory, built in 1887 by the French Rivers Authority and Forestry Commission under the direction of Georges Fabre, is currently occupied by the French meteorological service (Météo France). It is the last remaining weather station in France which is still inhabited by meteorologists. An exhibition on weather forecasting is open to visitors in the summer months.
Severe weather conditions are sometimes recorded :

Maximum Temperature : 28.2 °C in 1947;
Minimum Temperature : -28 °C in 1956;
Maximum wind speed : 360 km/h on November 6th 1966;
Maximum rain in 24 hours: 607 mm from 6 p.m. on 30th to 6 p.m. on October 31st 1963;
Maximum snow during one year : 10.24 metres;
Frozen days: 144;
High temperature days (> 25 °C) : 0;
Rain days: 170;
High wind days (> 16 m/s) : 265;
Fog days: 241;
Days with snow: 116.
When the sky is clear, it is possible to see the Mediterranean Sea, the Pyrenees, and also the Alps and Mont Blanc in particular.

You can see a panoramic view from the top here, if you're interested.

I will have no access to internet there, so don't expect me back until Thursday evening. Just baked a tomatoe tart for tomorrow's lunch (picnic). It smells heavenly in the kitchen now, eheh :)

I hope you had a nice weekend, my friends.
Take things easy & enjoy your new week.
Much love your way oxoxo