Chalet du Praffion

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

If you want to see chamois in Crozet, this is the place. The Chalet du Praffion takes its name from the Creux de Praffion, a rocky amphitheatre not far from the arrival of the télécabine in Crozet. It is a very accessible place, ideal to bring the children. The chalet is a bit below the circus, at 1385m high. It is quite well maintained, but I really don't know if it is still used as a pasture chalet these days, maybe yes, as in Summer there are always cows around.

The other day when I went there were plenty of chamois everywhere. And if as usual you can only spot them by far, sometimes that far that you only realise they are there as they move, in this occasion they were really close by, running away as they saw me arriving. 

I went to other chalets this week, but I always seemed to catch the cloudy or rainy moments. And you know, in this case it gets very dark for a proper drawing. But I have no problem in going back... :)

Spring Mountains

I finished this one yesterday. I was thinking I would let it rest and add some color later, but it might be as well I don't add color at all...

This an interpretation on how mountains look like in Spring around here. Flowers everywhere, snow patches, clouds and clear skies, and wind!! The drawing is quite big so I can't scan it, this is a picture taken with the cellphone. Background should then be completely white. I hope I get to the couple of previous ones I did soon! :)

Refuge de La Chaz

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

Yesterday I went up behind Thoiry looking for more chalets. First I passed by Narderans, but I decided I might have to come back with morning light. I had a really nice conversation with a couple of people from the Association who are taking care of maintaining the chalet, and then continued a bit up to the Refuge de La Chaz. 
This little pasture chalet is at 1490m high, right below the Brie, one of the summits west from the Reculet. It doesn't seem to be maintained lately, although I've seen it was until up 2009 at least. Usually cows are around there during the whole Summer. Yesterday, it was a bit cloudy and not too much light, but the fields to get there were full of yellow daffodils. Totally worth it!

Did you know about this little chalet already?

Chalet de Fierney-Girod

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

Today we ran up to the Deux Potes, a couple of mountains top of Crozet, that you always climb together. And passing by we stopped by this other much larger hut, called Chalet de Fierney-Girod, at 1365m high, and about 4km away and 800 meters up from home. 
This chalet is probably still used by the owners as a mountain house, as it is frequent to see people spending days there when days get warmer in Summer.

What a nice backyard we have, don't we?

Now... time to make plans for my next run, and maybe another chalet! :)

Chalet de la Ramaz

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

This one is an ancient pasture chalet at 1450m, and only about 6km away and 900m above home. It is one of my favorite places around all the year round. So reachable and beautiful. The other day I was discussing with the owners and they explained me that years ago, when it was still in use, it was used as a pasture for cows.

As I was explaining in the previous entry, I offered this drawing as a present to my marrying neighbors. And it was drawing it that the idea of starting this journey came to my mind. La Ramaz, one of my most favorite places in the world.

New personal project

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

Hello, I know I haven't been very diligent sharing in the blog lately. I can't promise I will manage to keep it up, but I will try. Lately, I find it easier to just take pictures and share them in my Instagram account rather than blogging or even writing a Facebook post. 
I am now drawing in larger formats, too large for my scan, and so I need to take good pictures of them to share, and I don't manage to get to it as soon as I finish one illustration. But, the important thing is to draw, right? :)

Anyway, I wanted to share here a new idea it came to my mind recently. Well, I've been thinking a long time, when I am running in the Jura mountains, oh I have to draw this, and this, and oh this as well. Because everything is so beautiful. But it is difficult to just halt a run to do a sketch, so I disregarded the idea for a while.

But the other day my neighbors got married. And as I was thinking what to draw for them I remembered they had told me once of a great weekend they had passed in one of the chalets in the Jura. Which turned out to be one of my favorite spots. So, off to draw it! And then I thought, I should draw every chalet in the Jura! I don't know how long it will take me, how regularly I will manage to do it, but I will do it. I love these pasture chalets, every single one of them, and I love to discover new routes, so, there couldn't be a better personal project for me right now.

I hope you will enjoy it too!

Later edit: below a small map of the area I am targeting. You can see there are MANY chalets (indicated by the houses). In the plan other chalet types besides pasture chalets (like forest, tourism) are also indicated. I am targeting for now pasture chalets. They are a lot, but let's go little by little and have fun all the way! :)