Col Girardin

In the foreground is the end of the sloping ledge of the Adoux sheep pen. We can make out, in the middle distance, a platform where the Lake Saint Anne is located. In the background, the Pics des Heuvières to the right and the Pic de la Font Sancte to the left overlook the lake.

The Sainte Anne Chapel faces the lake with the same name. They are also known as the Doux (spring). Pilgrims have been going to the chapel for a long time. The first writing dates back to July 9, 1699. Il records the offerings made to stop the drought. The chapel was destroyed in the winter of 1918-1919 and rebuilt. Its blessing was held on July 26, 1921 in front of 500 people.

These erosions in the form of parallel channels are created by the action of water. The water spread out on a surface remains more or less compact as a whole. It will not have a uniform spreading but will form "spots" and remain as a whole as much as possible. On a sloping surface, the water keeps this consistency and flows following the lines. It will gradually dig the limestone along its path. Once the fluting process begins to dig through, the water becomes trapped in this micro furrow and continues its erosion.

Mountain lakes are the result of the action and the moving of glaciers. By moving, the glacier digs the ground. When it comes across a hard rock, the glacier bypasses it. It can go over it and dig through once it passes the obstacle. At the rear, the glacier leaves in front of the hard rocks encountered previously, a basin closed in front by the mountain glacier and in the back by the mountain. These are the glacial lakes. Other glacial lakes exist such as moraines. But this is another story.

The conglomerates are composed of detrital rocks bound by a natural cement. They are composed of different rocks fractured by erosion. These rocks are generally sedimentary (as here) but can also be of volcanic origin. There are various conglomerates. Here its a breach, the rocks are angular. If the stones are pebbles, it is called "pouding" and if angular stones and pebbles are mixed, it is called "tillite".

Rock glaciers are composed of ice mixed with rock debris. They move very slowly. For example, the rock glacier of St Anne moves about 0.34m per year. We can distinguish 3 layers which form the rock glaciers. The top layer is formed of rocky debris, free of ice. This layer, in direct contact with the air, freezes in winter and melts in summer. The core layer is a mixture of ice and debris. The last layer is the rock debris buried by the moving glacier. Here, the rock glacier is covered with the first snowfall.

Shaped like a dome, the Altocumulus lenticularis or lenticular cloud appears to be still. In reality, they are indicative of unstable air. Bumping into mountainous areas, a large mass of air rises and causes a partial condensation of the water vapour contained therein. Thus forming a cloud. Once the obstacle is passed, the cloud dissolves. It is therefore in constant movement although it seems still.

Here, a view of the slope of the Col Girardin at the end of autumn. Before the Sainte Anne valley, under the first ledge, are the lake and the chapel. In the background on the left are the snow-covered massifs of Ecrins.