La Blanche
The collection of ridges that runs between les Trois
Evèches and Dormillouse is known as the montagne de la Blanche. South-west
facing, it offers splendid thermodynamic lift during the afternoon whenever
the sun shines. It is a reliable nursery slope (except when raining, or when
the down of the wave kicks in) with the added bonus of a landable airfield
at Seyne-les-Alpes
just below in the valley, at an altitude of 3900ft .
The ridge top lies at about 8000ft asl at the
northern end, descends to 7000ft and then rises again to over 9000ft to the
south. Its popularity has made it something of an aerial highway so,
needless to say, care
must be taken to look out at all times for approaching traffic.
La Blanche is part of the massive parcours des
combatants that runs from Mont Guilluame in the north all the way south
to the lac de Ste Croix, a distance of well over 80km which, on a good day, can
be run entirely without circling, giving the pilot an exhilarating trip
alongside dramatic folded rock faces, over barren mountain tops to the wide
open valleys in the south. Unforgettable!
