Into mountains

Les Monts de la Madeleine may not provide France's highest peaks. But with a main ridge of just over 1000m this tip of the Massif Central earns its name. It took two sweaty but very satisfying days to get through them. Glorious views to the west and southwest opened out as I climbed - Puy de Dôme is just visible in the distance above the fence post in this photo. 

Little mountain villages led upwards. This one, Châtelus, still had a tiny bar. I duly paid for my coffee!

And then into the beech and conifer woods that cloak most of the slopes, and up through them on a mix of minor roads, forest tracks and steep stony paths. A dip in a torrent in the late afternoon cooled me off. This picture is from near the top - the foxgloves spring up in any patch of cleared forest. 

The top produced huge views to the east down the other side, of Roanne, which is on the Loire, and of the next range of hills to be crossed beyond. In winter one can apparently see Mt Blanc on a good day.

Down to the first village and it is clear that living standards are higher this side of the mountains. Sunny slopes with vines and the proximity of Roanne, a town of 40,000 - here again in the middle distance of the photo. 

The high ground has produced new butterflies. I'm alleging that the first one below may be a Mountain Ringlet. The tiny second one, feeding on bramble that is everywhere in flower, must be some sort of Skipper.