| Ray's travels will take him
along some 1,000 km of footpaths and bridleways, and is expected
to take around six weeks. His itinerary is being set up with the
help of Georges Bartoli, the mayor of Gabian. Ray will also be
helped by the mayors of the villages he will pass through on his
journey.
At various stopping points along the way he
will be holding musical gatherings, where he plans to talk about
autism and entertain the locals, while raising money for Sesame
Autism, a French autism charity. "I'll be singing a few cowboy
songs," he promises, "and of course at least one Boby
Lapointe song" (in honour of his famous father in law). |
Part of the trek will take Ray and Black through the Cevennes, a
region of mountains just north of Gabian which has already been
immortalised in print as the scene of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Travels
With a Donkey', published in 1879. In Pezenas, the nearby market
town, a bar called 'Le Stevenson' to commemorate the event exists
to this day. |
| The small
map of France with the shaded area shows the area where Black and
Ray's journey takes place. Use the larger map to follow the journey.
Click on the name of the village or town for more information about
the area. |
Click on the name of the village
or town for more information about the area >>> |
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Gabian, originally a
Roman village - although it's roots probably go back much further,
is the start of the journey. This is Ray and Blacks 'home town'
and they have recieved a lot of help and support from people in
the community. |
| Situated on a plain between the sea
and the mountains, a plain full of vineyards, Pézenas is
now a large tourist town, famous for its markets, wines and architecture.
In the 17th century it was a cultural centre for artisans. It was
during this period that French playwright Moliere spent time here,
writing and helping with the performances of his many plays. |
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Centrally placed in the
department of the Hérault, Clermont l'Hérault continues
to develop with the construction of the A75/ A750 motorways. In
an environment full with vine and olive growing traditions, the
town has a rich, natural and historic heritage. |
| Its proximity to Salagou
Lake is an attraction for those who have a passion for outdoor activities:
windsurfing, fishing, mountain biking, horse riding, hiking. |
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The Clamouse Cave was discovered
in the summer of 1945 by a potholing team from Montpellier. Its
total length is around 4 kilometres of which almost 1 kilometre
has been developed for tourists. The cave has two major features:
the shape of its galleries hollowed out by corrosion-dissolution
of the dolomitic rock with extremely jagged walls, and the abundance
and diversity of concretions. They have made it one of the most
ornate caves in the underground world as well as being one of the
most visited caves in France. |
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Millau sits on the busy south-north
route through this part of France and as the northbound traveller
approaches they have a spectacular view of the town, nestling in
the valley. Ideal as a base for discovering the caves where Roquefort
cheese matures - and to take in the local dishes. |
| For wild countryside
there are les Causses du Larzac and the spectacular Gorges du Tarn.
The area also attracts people who participate in activity sports
- paragliding, canoeing, walking, and equestrian sports. |
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The village of Florac
is at a real geological crossing of the schist Cevennes in the south
covered with chestnut-trees and heath, the Mont Lozère, with
its granite and many water springs in the North, and the causse
Méjean, a severe and extended limestone plateau. It's also
the confluence for the rivers Tarnon, Mimente and Tarn, which stream
further into the famous Gorges du Tarn.
A stream called the Source du Pêcher, flows through the centre
of the town with little waterfalls and large trout giving it a fabulous
character. It's a small 'multi-cultural' village with Cévenols,
Caussenards and Lozerots, Catholics and Protestants, living together
and proud to live in this very special region. |
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Villefort in the Cevennes, is a beautiful
village with a lot to offer visitors. At some point in its history
there was a castle built on the village boundary. The castle was
named Castel Viel or Montfort. There's little trace of the castle
now, but the amalgamation of the two titles gives a name for the
village. |
The nearby lake is around 127 ha and during July and August it's
the right place for all types of water activities - swimming, sail
boarding, boating etc., with qualified monitors). Some equipment
t can be hired from the village centre. The lake's circuit is also
perfect for walkers. Along the way there are many wood and stone
decorative artefacts which are sure to intrigue the tourist. |
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Vallon Pont d'Arc is situated at
the entrance to the Gorges d'Ardeche on a plateau of calcium rock.
The river Ardeche winds for 30 km inside the canyon, and attracts
people keen to try out their canoeing skills - canoeing down the
river in a day. For those who want a more leisurely pace, or who
want to just enjoy the breathtaking scenery, then it's quite simple
to hire a boat, making it a two or three day trip, and using the
available camp sites as stop-overs. |
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Situated a few kilometres to the
east of Montélimar, Dieulefit is a small town surrounded
by pine covered mountains. This is the start of the PreAlpes, yet
there is still plenty of countryside heavy with the scent of lavender.
There are many pottery and glass workshops, with craftsmen making
local artefacts. The rose-coloured roof tiles of the village houses
contrast beautifully with the natural greenery of local vegetation,
giving the village a special charm. |
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Close to Grenoble, Autrans gives
the traveller outstanding panoramic views of the Alps. The town
also offers superb facilities for winter sports, particularly skiing,
with a total of 250 km of pistes. |
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Originally settled by the Gauls and
later fortified by the Romans it became the capital of Dauphine:
Today it's a city of 405,000 people, located at the crossroads of
the passages through the Alps, and is the main starting point for
the Alps. It's regarded as an international city, with many universities
and cultural activities. Included are many museums, such as Musée
des Beaux-Arts. Extremely popular as a skiing holiday destination,
Grenoble was home to the Olympic Games in 1968. |
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Bellegarde, a town of 12,000 inhabitants,
sits at the southernmost tip of the Haut Jura. The Grand Crêt
d'Eau (4900 ft at the Crêt de la Goutte) range overlooks the
Valserine valley. |
| In the 19th century the
town was home to many industrial enterprises - spinning-mills, paper-mills
or wood-mills. They were drawn by the abundance of inexpensive waterpower
provided by the Valserine and the Rhone rivers.The town is now ideally
situated for sporting activities, and together with the summer/winter
resort of Menthieres, a family ski resort 10 miles away, provide
the beginner as well as the expert skier with beautiful runs from
4500 ft down to 3200 ft. |
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The village has much to offer visitors,
from the the caves of Vallorbe, to a wild park with Bison, and the
Musée du fer et du chemin de fer. Iron working has long historical
roots and the museum traces this past, using the latest in audio-visual
techniques. With such outstanding surrounding countryside there
are the usual outdoor activities that help make this area popular. |
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The town of La Chaux-de-Fonds is
most famous for it's history of clock and watch making and was the
humming centre of the Swiss watch making industry. There is a large
and impressive Musée international d'horlogerie that records
this history. Even if you don't find clocks and watches the height
of inspiration, you will certainly find the museum extremely interesting.
Immediately adjacent is the Musée des Beaux-Arts which has
amongst the works of art, a Modigliani, a couple of Van Gogh's,
Delacroix and Renoir among a selection of mostly little-known early
modern works. |
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With its sandstone buildings, historic
towers and unique fountains Bern is one of the finest examples of
mediaeval civic architecture in Europe. The city's appearance has
remained virtually unchanged for centuries, earning Bern a place
on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The city is also the
seat of the Swiss government. Bern is not only a World Heritage
Site but also embraces modern movements of architecture and design.
The Museum of Fine Art houses the world's largest collection of
Paul Klee works. |
| Einstein
developed his special theory of relativity here and Tobler created
his world-famous Toblerone chocolate. Concert hall and municipal
theatre are only a few steps apart. And there's a lively arts scene,
modern dance performances and jazz concerts, which all add up to
a rich, world-class cultural life. |
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Ray Everitt, le troubadour,
et son cheval blanc Black partent en croisade au bénéfice
des autistes |
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