Notre Dame de la Garde is the cathedral sitting above Marseille and protecting it with a gigantic statue of the Virgin Mary. Views of the city and impossibly blue sea and sky are striking.
The contemporary kids sitting above on the steps of the Marseille opera contrast with the 18th century statue and town hall below, designed by Pierre Puget.
Lourmarin is a small town in Provence northeast of Marseille and Aix. It has its own chateau (above and below) and is said to be one of the prettiest villages. It is in the area described in the book A Year in Provence.
In September, the Roman Amphitheater in Arles, seen above, is used for bull fighting.
Saint Trophime Cloister was built in the early Middle Ages, XII and XIII centuries. The monks did not go out so collected water from the roof in the cistern above. 
Mont Blanc, seen above from Chamonix, is the highest mountain of Europe at 4870 meters or 16400 feet. It is part of a massif or block of rocks at the borders of three countries: France, Italy, and Switzerland.
Chamonix, in the French valley on the western side of Mt Blanc, at 1000 meters is the place where many people begin the Tour de Mont Blanc, a 170 km loop around the Mont Blanc massif. The Ultratrail de Mt Blanc in August is a running race where competitors run the whole distance in one day, see the start below.
Chamonix is the historical center of alpinism in the world. The fresco above commemorates some of the famous mountain guides and is being admired by a real person on the street of Chamonix.
The bridge above crosses the river draining the Glacier de Bionassay.
The Col de Tricot at 2120 meters has steep slopes on either side.
French alpine landscapes are also very much shaped by cows who graze the "Alp" pastures during the summer. The Auberge du Truc below is really a summer dairy farm with a refuge added on. Most of the food served is cheese!
The Tour de Mont Blanc path from the town of Les Contamines runs along an old Roman road. Amazing to walk along stone pavers laid 2,000 years ago.
There are two cols, or passes, at 2320 and 2480 meters (see names below).
One goes above treeline, above plantline, and ends at the Refuge du Bonhomme at 2440 meters.
It was very cold this morning starting out above 2400m.
Cyane on the high point with a great view of Mt Blanc behind.
There was a long descent into the valley from the Tete Nord des Fours.
German mountain bikers on the trail of the Tour de Mt Blanc at the Ref des Mottets, above.
Hikers pass the Pyramides Calcaires, above, on the way to the Refugio Elisabetta, below.
Above, looking south up the Italian Val Veni toward the Col de la Seigne.
The Glacier du Miage has partially blocked the valley with its moraine and outwash lakes.
Maison Vielle di Giacomo sits on the Col Chécrouit, above Courmayeur.
Stage 4 was entirely in the Italian Val Veni, with a length of 15 km; an ascent of 1000m and a descent of 1000 m.
