With the Kepler One through the mighty mountains
The mighty French mountain landscapes appeal to us enormously! We would like to travel completely self-sufficiently, so we chose Vanomobil's compact Westfalia Kepler One. This camper van would give us the freedom to settle almost anywhere! We didn't plan ahead and search for our sleeping locations spontaneously via the Camp4night app. The time has come on August 16, we are leaving for Savoie and Vanoise!
LITERALLY AND FIGURALLY IN THE CLOUDS
On the second night we arrive in the evening at a parking lot with a beautiful view near the Swiss border. The Camp4night app appears to be popular, because we are not alone. And rightly so, because we can wake up with a breathtaking view of high, misty rocks illuminated by an orange morning sun. We take in the view of the green mountains as the clouds dance up from the damp ground. This makes the landscape seem to change every minute.
We discover that several marked hiking trails leave from our camper place and after our coffee we start a trip up. However, we were not prepared for the height and the steep paths sometimes left us completely out of breath... But the walk is absolutely worth it. Even though the mountain peaks are hidden in the mist, we are amazed and grateful that we can experience this on our second day of travel!
FROM ICE COLD WIND TO T-SHIRT & SUN CREAM
We have acquired a taste for this overwhelming region and are longing for more. That is why we continue our journey towards the Savoie. Surrounded by various ski resorts, a track took us around the Alpe d'Huez. A very photogenic place, but unfortunately the weather is disappointing. Rain showers alternate with gusts of wind and we get quite cold.
Time to convert the van from a vehicle to a home! We notice that converting the camper is not an easy task and time is passing by very quickly. Moving boxes, putting away chairs, pushing up the roof, putting shoes aside, installing a table, building a gas fire... Living in the camper requires an effort, but what it gives back still outweighs it.
After staying in the camper for a while, the thunder and the icy wind over the bare mountain peaks frightened us a little too much. We would really like to stay in these mountains, but the need for warmth is bigger. So we decide to descend anyway and stay that night in a place where our T-shirts are enough and we have to apply sunscreen ourselves!
BUCKETLIST: CHECK!
After one night we return to the mountains. We are determined to see the mountain peaks that are so far hiding in the clouds. We choose a different road that takes us to a reservoir. A grayish-green composition of inhospitable and steep surfaces surround a beautiful azure blue lake. We thought the view from the day before couldn't be bettered, but then we wouldn't have taken this reservoir into account. The wind is strong and cold, but we still see all the people putting their cars aside and taking out their smartphones to capture this view. Or they try, but no screen can match this live view.
Dayo's bucket list includes his wish to one day swim in a glacial lake. So he can't just let this opportunity pass by. “Vous avez beaucoup de courage!” two women say to me. Together we overcome the cold and what an experience!
The night went well and the clear morning sky indeed shows us new, even snow-capped peaks. Finally! Time in high mountains seems to pass more slowly. Cows graze while walking on the steep slopes, early cyclists become buzzing dots in the distance. The mountains know nothing about our time schedule. The clouds float by and the mountain rivers flow. We learn here to just do nothing and enjoy the pace of the mountains.
BECOMING ONE WITH OUR VAN
As our journey comes to an end, we become more one with the van. The conversion is now a collaborative effort and we no longer have to say anything to each other. Driving is also an absolute pleasure. Every journey comes to an end. You usually feel that end when you start your way back, but with the camper we were really on a journey until we drove back into our street.
Thank you very much to Dayo and Emma for sharing their experience with us!
Text by Emma Boeyaert
Photos by Dayo Clinckspoor
