Autumn Escape
24 October 2026 — 31 October 2026
At the end of October, a cold black north wind rises over the Gironde and urges me to flee eastward in search of, I hope, a patch of blue sky and carpets of yellow leaves. From the volcanic plateaus of the Cantal to the winding gorges of the Vercors, by way of the vast grassy expanses of the Aubrac, this improvised journey should put my perseverance to the test. But I have no doubt it will be worth the effort.
Distance
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Elevation gain
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When the alarm goes off at seven this morning, I curse myself for not having, once again, taken a single day off before leaving on a trip, when I was still working yesterday until around six in the evening.
The road is wet and dark all the way to the station. I settle into the little TER bound for Tulle, which carries me, with plenty of shaking and all kinds of hesitation, safely to port - that is, Brive-la-Gaillarde.