Summer chalets Les Prioux

These chalets are at Les Prioux, another little summer hamlet on the road up towards Roc de la Peche, way above Pralognan. You can get to it by car when there is no snow so it is a popular spot, so much so that it has two restaurants, and is one of the few places where you can buy the local delicacy Serac cheese, similar to ricotta.

The tiny chalet in the centre belongs to the patriarch of the family we bought our chalet from so I shall give it to him as a gift.

I am quite pleased with the way the background trees came out. I find it more difficult painting vague suggestions of trees directly from the scene in front of me. A photograhic reference makes life simpler - although it leads to the temptation to put in more information than necessary!

Watercolour on Arches paper 23x31 cms approx.

Summer hamlets - Cholliere

There are a number of hamlets in the mountains that can only be used in the summer months. In the winter they are only accessible on foot, with skis or snow shoes. In the summer they come to life, often rented out to holidaymakers, but still with little or no vehicular access.
Cholliere is one of the closer ones. It is about 20 minutes above the village, a lovely walk up a path alongside the river.
In the winter the river bubbles under the snow and ice, but in the summer it rushes downhill, boosted by the glacial melt water to a pale turquoise, over ochre coloured rocks. That is a painting for another day.
Behind you can see Grande Casse and the Aiguille de Vanoise, and the distinctive mound of Le Moriond.
This time it wasn't too far to carry my painting things. I still need to reduce what I take, but watercolour needs less equipment, so has to be favourite for outings on foot.

Watercolour on Arches paper. Approx 31x23 cms.
My paintings are always for sale. If you are interested email me.

Barmettes mountain refuge

This is a painting of one of the mountain refuges, at Barmettes approx 2000 metres. It is at the top of one of the ski lifts so in winter it is easily accessible for skiers.
It has a stunning backdrop of the Aiguille de Vanoise, and the Grande Casse behind.
In the summer it is a serious uphill climb, but at the height of the season the lift opens for three days a week. I caught the very last opportunity to lift up as I would have had difficulty hiking up there with my painting kit.
I sat in the middle of the piste to paint, but happily there were no skiers rushing downhill at breakneck speed. Just a few curious hikers.
On the day I was painting there was a race going on - 68 kms with a total rise of 3800 metres. The runners started at 5 am, and the leading runner came past about 2 pm. Huffing and puffing, but still running!!

Watercolour on Arches paper. Approx 31x23 cms.
My paintings are always for sale. Please email me if you are interested.

Mountain watercolours

I have filled a painting pad with watercolours of the mountains. They aren't all worth posting, but one or two are fit to show.
This first one is of the Val de Chaviere from the top of the Bochor cablecar. The viewpoint is at 2000 metres, and is a enormous view over the entire valley, heading up towards the Roc de la Peche.
The refuge at Roc de la Peche is open all year round for intrepid travellers in the snow but access is often restricted because of avalanche threats, the approach valley is really steep. In the summer it is accessible by foot for normal souls. Having said that it is still a good uphill treck of around 5 kms.
This watercolour was done at the top of the cablecar, it was so hot I tried to shelter under a tree, but they were all conifers - and very prickly!

Watercolour on Arches paper. Approx 23 x 31 cms.
My paintings are always for sale. If you are interested please email me.

Summer again

After much flitting about we are back in Pralognan, the weather hasn't been as consistent as last year, so I have established a more permanent (than the dining room table) studio upstairs in the attic. The light is good and here is plenty of space, unfortunately the access (via ladder) is a little precarious, but hey ho...

The first of my summer offerings is here, started in the spring from sketches on site and photographs to follow up. The first painting finished in my new studio!
It is the view upstream of the Torrent de la Gliere, with the round dome of Le Moriond behind, from the Pont de Creuset at the hamlet of Fontanettes. I have got some great photos of the same view covered in snow so I'll save that for later.

Acrylic on canvas. 40x40cm

My paintings are always for sale. If you are interested please email me.