On our way from Mercantour to Mont Blanc, we stopped over for an hour or so in Haute-Alpes at a place called Lac de Serre-Ponçon. For those of you who speak French, you will realise that this is a lake. In fact, it is the largest artificial lake in western Europe and supplies water for the surrounding areas.

Apart from the colouring of the area, a major feature of the Lac de Serre-Ponçon is the geology of the surrounding area. The Demoiselles Coiffées de Pontis (literally: “ladies with hairdos”) are columns of soil and small stones. On top of each sits (or in concert with other columns) a boulder. It is truly a remarkable sight to behold. Here are some pictures of the Lac and the Demoiselles:

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