I (Kathy) always wanted to check out the long, wide open valley behind the Aiguilles Rouges, up against Le Buet. Near at hand, yet remote feeling, it seemed like a good way to try and escape the heat. Taking light packs, we aspired to go from Le Brévent tothe village and train stop at Le Buet in the day. It was a long one, but it worked!

Mark nearing our high point, with a rather nice panorama to look at.

The route we planned was a bit inefficient, with a very long out-of-our-way detour, but there was a cut-off trail on the map! One that would shorten our distance by a fair amount. So off we launched... and discovered black dashes on the map mean there probably was once a trail there, but now....? It was followable, just. But as you can see quite overgrown! Worth the trouble, not quite bushwhacking, but "bushwhack adjacent" I think one would say.

Nearing the end of our shortcut!

Our reward, a lonely spot in a lovely stream bottom. I wanted to spend the rest of the day here!

But no, we were on a mission. So off we set, at last regaining the "main" trail. Le Buet is that peak in the background. The Chalets de Villy just ahead. Our goal and high point, is the Col de Salenton, on the right.

Lovely expanses of cotton grass along the trail.

Looking back over our shoulder, we marvel that this place is so relatively quiet compared to the crowded trails just beyond the ridge.

Higher up in the valley, the steep cirque above is called the "attic" of Villy.

We have met only two other parties on this stretch of trail.

On the backside of the Col, we join the trail going up to the summit of Le Buet in one direction, and down the Bérard valley to the train line at Le Buet (village) in the other direction. Suddenly it gets very hot, crowded, and tired out. So the photos end here! But we did make it home by dinner time, footsore but satisfied.