Les Prioux - a summer hamlet

Les Prioux

This hamlet is only accessible in the summer, it is a favourite spot for taking a leisurely lunch in one of the delightful restaurants or a gentle stroll up the mountain tracks.  There are loads of quite taxing hiking routes around, but also a good selection of easier options, and it is easily accessible by car.

The old stone chalets have mainly been refurbished and are used for holidays.  The brown building at the front left is a mazot, a traditional french shed or barn.  The wood is that deep brown colour because it has been burnt by the sun and has no other protection,  the ones in this village are in remarkably good condition.

My first attempt at this painting, yesterday in the sunshine, was a bit of a disaster. I made some amendments to it when I got home, which is never a good plan as it often destroys the freshness of the original.  Watercolour painting is a real 'one shot' affair.

So in good time honoured tradition I gave it a second shot today.  

The weather was a bit murky so I climbed up into my eerie, armed with the original painting done on location, a photographic reference and a well thumbed copy of a book of watercolour paintings of the mountains round here by an artist who's work I really admire  http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/images/284206271X/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=301061&s=books

I don't think my job looks anything like his (I suspect 'robust' is an adjective I would apply to mine, whereas 'subtle and sensitive' would be more appropriate for Mantis' work),  but I love the way he uses colour and I did find it helpful having something to refer to that I liked rather than my original, which I thoroughly disliked.

I am pleased to say I am happier with the result than I was yesterday.

watercolour on hot pressed paper

35 x 25 cms

Tumbling waters

Doronne de Chaviere

The mountains around Pralognan are crowned by three enormous glaciers, which control a micro-climate in the valley below.  In the summer the melt water gallops downhill in glorious shades of cobalt turquoise and green over the soft yellows and purples of the underlying rocks.  

These rivers have an undeniable attraction for me, yet I approach them with dread as the bubbling waters are notoriously difficult to capture in paint.  Once again I am beguiled.

This is another sketchpad entry, but I think it would look good framed and hanging on a wall, so I will cut a mount for it and add it to my 'exhibition' stock.

22 x 30 cms

watercolour on paper

Back up the Hill

Hameau de Fontanettes

I like this spot.  I can get there in the car so I can take all my equipment and make myself comfortable.  This is my first watercolour of the summer here in the Vanoise National Park despite having been here two weeks already.  Up to now the summer has been more like an English one, so I have been working inside.  It is nice to get out though now the weather seems to have broken.  

This is on a popular route up the mountain and there is a pleasant lunch stop at the top of the hamlet. The grass is a ski slope in the winter and I would be mowed down by skiers if I were to set up there in the snow.

I think there are some other versions of this scene further back, but as a familiar spot it is a good one for a warm up painting.  

It is watercolour in a sketchbook and has a grubby mark in the sky where I was impatient and rubbed the paper before it was dry, so it will stay in the sketchbook and I will do another version at a later date.

I was here last summer on foot, and walking down admiring the view I tumbled carrying all my kit, broke my right thumb and made a real mess of my elbow, which put my out of contact with paintbrushes for six weeks until it all healed.  Moral = watch your footings, never mind the view!

30 x 20 cms

watercolour on rough paper

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.