A TotalTaiTaiTale: Beijing, Singapore & now Paris!

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I had jumped out of an airplane (with a parachute)… 10 years ago

I had jumped off a platform (with an elastic around my ankles)… 5 years ago

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Mine museum

On our way back on our tour with Petit Train de la Mure we stopped at the La Mine Image museum.

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Gorgeous view of Lac du Monteynard from the Belvedere du Petit Train de la Mure.

With in the background Mont Aiguille on the left and Les 2 sœurs (Agathe & Sophie) on the right.

Mont Aiguille is one of the 7 one of the 7 wonders of Dauphiné. Reputedly inaccessible, it was climbed by order of King Charles VIll on June 26, 1492. Antoine de Ville took possession of it, with the help of ladders, accomplishing the first duly identified act of mountaineering.

Les 2 sœurs (The 2 Sisters) have been called Agathe and Sophie since World War Il. Long before Rabelais, legend has it that the giant Gargantua put one foot next to them and the other behind the Mont Aiguille to dig the Drac valley and drink the waters of the torrent.

The Monteynard dam is one of the 4 large dams in the Drac valley and is the most impressive. Commissioned in 1962, the 135m-high "Giant of the Drac" is one of the highest monuments in France. it produces the equivalent of half of Lille's residential consumption.

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Le Petit Train de la Mure.

How to spend a Sunday on a 50-minute journey starting from La Mure Station passing through multiple tunnels and viaducts with views of the turquoise Monteynard Dam lake.

Le Petit Train de la Mure is a historic, scenic mountain railway in the French Alps that runs through the Isère department, featuring vintage red carriages, high viaducts, and mountain tunnels.

1888: Opened to haul pure anthracite coal from local mines on the Matheysin plateau.

1902: Became one of the first electrically powered narrow-gauge railroads in the world.

1989: Converted into a dedicated tourist line after coal transport ended.

2021: Reopened following an 11-year closure caused by a major landslide.

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From time to time I hear “scream” from the forest in our backyard then I remember there is a famous canyoning spot right there.

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Temple Tibetans Karma Migyur Ling.

Things I didn’t know existed not even 15 miles from our summer house, tucked in the Vercors.

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This year new improvement at the summer house: outdoor movie theater.

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While we were driving in the Vercors we stopped in Vassieux-en-Vercors. First at the resistance memorial (but we were slightly too late to get a proper visit) and then the Vassieux-en-Vercors National Necropolis containing the graves of 187 Resistance fighters and civilians who died for France during the fighting that took place on the Vercors plateau in July 1944.

The town is known for its assistance to the French Resistance during World War II, for which it was awarded the Ordre de la Libération. Vassieux-en-Vercors is a "martyr village" due to the massacre of 73 inhabitants (Youngest being 18 Months old!) and the total destruction of the commune by German troops in July 1944, in retaliation for its massive support of the Vercors Maquis.

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Driving in the Vercors is not for the faint hearted.

This one road is actually slightly wider than the one I typically take.

Enjoy the ride…

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Pont en Royans - Maisons Suspendues.

As we took a little road trip in the Vercors we stopped in Pont-en-Royans to see the medieval architecture of the sixteenth century and its famous colourful hanging houses. Its original architecture is due to an ingenious adaptation to the environment of the village to promote its trading activity with timber.

We didn’t have time to stop at the water museum but there you can explore the water in all its forms. A bar allows water tasting of more than 900 bottled waters of the world.

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Abbaye de Saint Antoine.

Sometimes you need visiting friends to make you go visit things that are on the other side of the river.

In July 2025, an annual France 2 series, "Le Village préféré des Français", named the village as most popular amongst the French…. But the village has been a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association since 2009… So we did go see it and visit the abbey

Formerly known as La-Motte-Saint-Didier, it was renamed after becoming the home of purported relics of Saint Anthony the Great in the 11th century, and shortly afterwards of the original house of the Hospital Brothers of St. Anthony, founded here in 1095 as the result of miraculous cures from St. Anthony's Fire ascribed to the relics.

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Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval

We decided to explore our region.

Sometimes you forget that people come from near and far to visit places that are in your backyard.

In 1879, the postman Ferdinand Cheval stumbled upon a strange stone while on his rounds and began collecting pebbles. He spent 33 years (amounting to 93,000 hours and 10,000 days) building his dream at night, hauling the stones in his wheelbarrow. He blended natural forms with imagery from Hindu and Egyptian temples and the Bible, inspired by the postcards he had seen.

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So a couple months ago my brother in law called me to know if I wanted to join my sister in la “Caravane Publicitaire*” of the Tour de France.

He had received a couple VIP invitation thru his Isuzu dealership (Isuzu being one of the sponsored cars).

You do not say no to such an opportunity.

Long story short we got to ride in the Haribo cars for the Étape 17 between Chambéry and Voiron (Voiron was one of 2 cities during the Tour that were hosting an Arrival AND Departure) and then see the arrival of the riders from the VIP lounge.

It was amazing to see the behind the scenes and how much it takes for everything to go smoothly. I got to spend 4+ hours and 175kms with Paul my lovely driver chatting away.

NB: la Caravane Publicitaire is 36 brands with 170 véhicules and more than 600 people.

Since 1930, "la Caravane pulicitaire" has been part of the show that the Tour de France puts on. This festive and creative opening parade precedes the pack of cyclists to the utmost delight of Tour de France fans lining the roadsides.

For two hours, the Tour de France and its partners put on a show, hand out many gifts and strive to be the most creative to surprise the millions of fans wating for the riders to pass by!

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La Vouise.

My little sister is going to kill me.

What I thought was a little walk to the top of the hill in Voiron (which I did in 2019 but apparently I had taken the easy way up then) turned out to be steep hike in the wood.

She cannot stays still on vacation.

Very deceiving how you don’t get how steep it was on the video.

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Little sister organized a little hike to Charmant Som with her in-laws family. I was there so I was included.

Charmant Som (1867 m) is one of the three peaks overlooking Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse. It only has an elevation gain of 200 m and can be done in 1h30.

Lunch at the auberge at the bottom not included but very encouraged.

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When you are nowhere near Scotland or even Brittany but your friends hired bagpipe musicians and dress up for your birthday. (NOT mine).

There’s something about friendship in small villages.

I grew up here, I left but I can recognize how a close nit they have and I enjoy being included in their festivities.

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Because climbing thru the woods was not enough we had to climb to the top (15 more meters) to enjoy to view of the valley.