Chalet Armion

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

First chalet from today's long run with a friend, the Chalet Armion at 1197m in Lélex. The funny thing about this chalet is that as many of the locals, I have passed by many many times while skiing, but never really saw more than the roof of it, covered in snow, the chalet itself hidden in a hole made of layers and layers of cumulated snow. It was a surprise to see how charming it is surrounded by autumn colors!

Vide Grenier Crozet 2019

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I haven't sketched outdoors lately, but I can't miss Crozet vide grenier! Now the 6th year in a row that I sketch it :)
A beautiful bright autumn day to be out.

Chalet des Platières

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The chalet des Platières is situated at 1216m in the Creux de l'Envers, a valley formed by the Mont Chanais and the crest of the Montrond, one of the mountains above Gex. I haven't been many times in that valley, but the place is beautiful. To the chalet I'd been only once before yesterday, once passing by during a long run, yesterday to draw it.

Yesterday it was a bit of an adventure to get there. First, me and my husband rode the bike to a trail closer to the chalet, parked there and followed a route I had planned. But the path had been all messed up by a tractor while cutting some trees, and at some point we took a wrong turn. We ended up as it often happens when trails are open by working tractors: nowhere and far away from the planned track. We started climbing up the forest to get to the path, but the forest was REAL steep and sometimes there was no place to grab. But in the end, rock to rock, tree to tree, root to root, we got there! And it was all totally worth it, the chalet and its surroundings were absolutely splendid. 

Then, after the run, we rode back home. A well deserved downhill :)

Narderans

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

Narderans is possibly one of the most visited pasture chalets in the Haut-Jura. Situated at 1340m above Thoiry, the way up to Narderans from the Tiocan is frequently busy with people. The chalet is managed by the association Les Amis de Narderans, a group of mountain lovers who take care of the chalet and its entourage, and try to encourage the locals to visit the mountains and to get to better know their natural heritage.

This drawing is based on a series of pictures I took one morning back in June, when the cows were pasting right in front of the chalet. Before that, and after, I've been there several times, looking for that perfect view. But it is not an easy task! The chalet is encased in the mountains, making it difficult to have the good light. One of these multiple days was during a run on a Thursday afternoon. That day I got to meet a couple of the people from the Association, and told them about my drawing project. But the light was not good, because in the afternoon the sun comes from behind, so we agreed I would come back and that they would send me some pictures so I could offer a drawing to them. I hope they will like it!

Thoiry Devant

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

When looking towards Summer, it always seems to me a land of endless time to do everything I want to do. And probably because of this I never get to do everything, because "everything" is always too much!
So, two months after the run that got me to this chalet, I get to finish the corresponding drawing :) But that's the good (and bad) thing about personal projects: there are no deadlines!

This chalet is called Thoiry Devant. It is at 1485m high above Thoiry, and you can pass it going to the Reculet, or to the Crêt de la Neige when starting from the Tiocan. From another view you can see the Reculet behind the chalet, and a small water pond for the cows in Summer.

I hope I managed to get to my other overdue homework tasks soon... I have at least two more chalets from runs I did a while ago!

La Polvette

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

Yesterday it was a beautiful day and I had the chance to have a long run planned in a place with many chalets! I don't know if I will draw all of those I passed by yesterday, but I have material for at least a couple for sure. Excited!!

Today's chalet is La Polvette, at 1487m above St Jean de Gonville. You know, it was a first time for me here! I had been very close by from both sides, but always coming up or down in paths right before reaching this chalet. La Polvette is situated between La Chaz and La Capitaine, and below La Grotte de la Marie du Jura. It has wonderful views to the Montblanc, the Crête de l'Eau and the Rhone valley and is easily reachable by 4x4. I love the Jura, all of it, but there are places with more charm than others, and this one touched me.

I happen to know the family who takes care of this ancient chalet, maybe once I will visit them there... :)

There's more interesting info on the chalet in this page: http://www.refuges.info/point/3692/cabane-non-gardee/jura/la-polvette-ex-chalet-demorney/

La Catheline

https://www.carolinadeluca.com/chaletsofthejura

I am back with more beautiful places in the Jura around home. This one is the Chalet de la Catheline. Some will be surprised as we all mostly know the restaurant La Catheline from the ski slopes, but this restaurant, and the télécabine that reaches its top next to it, take their name from this more ancient pasture chalet, situated just a few meters below towards Lélex, but still in the municipality of Crozet.

The chalet, at 1400m high passing the Col de Crozet, it is very well maintained. It is most likely frequently used, as in winter is easily accessible using the ski resort facilities, and during Summer the 4x4 roads take almost to its door. 

Let's hope the rain gives way to more sunny days and more chalets soon :) 

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... :)

Around Villeneuve

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing

Today I had a beautiful and comfortable amount of time to draw, like an hour and a half which almost never happens. But as it turns out, I've spent a lot of it just turning around different villages in my car, trying to find THE place. I've been in Villeneuve, in Sergy, in Thoiry... And after a while I've just returned to the first place I'd been. In this little road in Villeneuve there are so many things to draw!

Despite all my indecision, I've had enough time to finish my sketch, and to be at school like 15 minutes in advance. Today, with this drawing, I've finished a sketch book. Tomorrow I will start a new one :D

Winter in Crozet

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing
http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching

Winters in Crozet since many years I pass them waiting for my daughter here at the parking of the télécabine in Crozet. With all children from the ski clubs descending at the same time, it is a bit like a lottery: she can be early in the line and come in with the first bunch, or she can be at the end and you freeze to death for an hour until she arrives! In the mornings though, the parking is quite quiet... and the slopes too! ;)

Snowing in Sergy

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing
http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching

Let it snow, let it snow...

Drawing in the sun!

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These last days we haven't got much sun in Crozet. Only higher up in the mountain one could catch some rays. But today, finally, it has opened up a bit! Apparently it is not going to last, so I had to profit! This is in the Rue de Jura, in Crozet, a street where you can draw something at every step. Just lovely.

In my way to the collège

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing
http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching

In the way to my daughter's collège in Ferney, very close to the chateau de Voltaire, there is this old ruined farm. And you know, one can get lost drawing there. So many things, chaos, old houses with old windows and old doors, old roofs and broken walls... Well, paradise! 
Today I had to pick up my daughter and I managed to get twenty extra minutes to very quickly sketch a tiny part of this fantastic place. You know, places like these, here, they can vanish from one day to the other...

Day 24: Crozet

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching
http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing

I love Crozet, all of it. And how couldn't I having horses next to home.

Day 23: Some sun in Villeneuve

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing
http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching

Today it's been sunny after what it feels a while, so even if my day is quite full on Tuesdays, I had to go out and draw. An old house in Villeneuve.

Day 22: Carsketching ... a flooded river

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing
http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching

It rains and rains a lot and there's water everywhere. Today my husband told me he had to turn around with his bike in Pregnin, because the river Lion was flooded. He also told me, you have to go! And you know, it was a wonderful idea :) There were even a couple of cars trapped in to make the drawing more interesting! :D

Day 13: An original food container

http://www.carolinadeluca.com/2018onedayonedrawing
http://www.carolinadeluca.com/urban-sketching

This one is close to where I was drawing two days ago. I pass quite often running or with my dog, and I always find it so funny. An old car recycled into a horses food container. 

And today, as bonus, a picture taken in situ:

Outdoors

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These are days of lots of tension. Things happening around in Catalonia that make me be more attached to my computer than I usually like to. 
I am mostly an outdoors person, I am, most of my free time, as soon as I can, outdoors, in the forest, in the mountains, in the fields, with my dog, or otherwise sketching around. But these days, as soon as I am back, as soon as I finish the immediate work, there am I, again checking the newspaper, to see if something new has happened. Today I had some free time. And instead of loosing it checking the latest news, I just took my stuff and spend a good moment sketching that corner I had been waiting for the perfect light to come. The light wasn't perfect at all, but the moment I passed there it was :) A moment way from the world.

Jus de Pomme

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This morning we were selling apple juice with the Crozet Ski Club, to gather money to finance the children's activities. The juice was made by some of the parents, with apples from the region, and it was really good! Kids sold, adults talked, and I sketched. 

Ovejitas 

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After being the whole summer up in the mountains, sheep are back to the fields! It is now a week that they are around in Crozet, and we've seeing them every day in our way in and back from school. Today, finally, I had a quiet moment to sketch them. With the sound of their bells, the sun and the fields around, that was a perfect peace moment too.